Hi;
I was just reading the thread "All In Favor of Not Changing CBB.........." and was concerned with this "Idea" submitted by the original poster:
"An idea:
Why not use Bandlab assistant like Gibson used Command Center, but instead of monthly free updates and paid DAW subscription, reverse it. Let the current version remain free and sell new features as upgrades as you develop them quarterly. Don't force it on everyone to please the minority. If they want the DAW changed, make them pay for it".
 
Having just "migrated" to CBB this past week with the understanding that this is a "free" DAW and I haven't really done any projects yet, before I do, does anybody know what this poster means here?  Am I to understand that this "free version" may at some point become something I will have to pay a monthly subscription to use?  Is this freebie in effect just a "free demo"?   Having explored the program somewhat and finding so many features so pleasing that in one thread I posted "This seems to good to be true.  I hope this isn't just a teaser" I'm a bit worried from this gentleman's post, that it might be just that.
 
If so, that's OK, but I really would like to clarify this before I go to any trouble creating any projects with CBB.  I certainly understand the logic behind eventually charging for this and I always thought that those of you who paid $500.00 for SPLAT deserved more, but I do not want to get myself into a situation where I will have to pay a monthly subscription for something new that I don't really need.  I'd just as soon continue to use what I paid $200.00 four years ago and only that.  I was happy with X3 and I'd rather not go forward with this if it's not going to continue to be free.
 
Thanks for any explanation.
John B.
 
Thank you.
 
 

It's going to continue to be free. Jump in and enjoy. Expect Bandlab to charge for extras though - but the core DAW itself is going to continue to be free. Meng and Bandlab have been pretty clear about their intentions - enjoy it.

http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3745236
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3746108
 

Brando
It's going to continue to be free. Jump in and enjoy. Expect Bandlab to charge for extras though - but the core DAW itself is going to continue to be free. Meng and Bandlab have been pretty clear about their intentions - enjoy it.

Thank you for clarifying and for the links.  What had me a bit alarmed was what Mickey said on that quote.  Going by that, it looked like a free demo and, again, I appreciate the need for the company to at some point make money.  The only plugin I have that I bought is Dimension LE which I actually bought back in 2010, way before I even bought Sonar,  but a newer version came with X3, so I'm kind of expecting that to continue.  I was going to buy the Ze3A(?) synth right before Cakewalk (via Gibson) closed shop back last November, but never got around to it.  As far as Rapture Pro or anything else by Cakewalk, I don't own any of those, at least not yet.  I do want to "jump into" CBB.  It seems really cool and they did a great job of modifying it but I wanted to clarify that it was a dream come true and not "too good to be true" because I don't intend to have to pay a monthly subscription to use a DAW.  Now knocking those who do, but it's just not for me.  Thanks again!
 
John B.

Bandlab's entire model is based around free-to-use. I can't predict the future, but I would be extremely surprised if they started charging for updates to the core program. For one thing, Cakewalk, then Roland, and then Gibson have, over the last fifteen years or so, thoroughly proven that paid updates don't work all that well.
 
My guess is that five years from now (or possibly sooner), nearly all the major DAWs will have a free-to-use core version, that's not a limited 'Artist' version. Rather a full-fat, all-features version, but without all the bundled synths and plugs. A wind of change be blowin' on this stuff.

Johnbee58
Hi;
I was just reading the thread "All In Favor of Not Changing CBB.........." and was concerned with this "Idea" submitted by the original poster:

That person was just one random person making a (rather poor) suggestion. How do we know if he even owns a copy of SONAR. As I recall, you don't even have to be a registered owner of any Cakewalk product to post messages.
 
If you want to know what the plans for Cakewalk are, read the stickies and announcements up at the top, specifically the FAQ's and posts authored by Meng.
 
Remember that unless the program relies on talking to a remote server on the Internet to verify registration each time you start it, once you download it and install it, who cares if they start charging for it in the future? You've already got it!
 
Also remember that no piece of software comes with any guarantee of future development, license model, guarantee of fitness for use or anything of the sort. They all pretty much explicitly say that for legal purposes, beyond refund they are not guaranteed to do what you want them to do, now or ever. If you spent $35,000 on a Pyramix workstation and signed up for onsite maintenance, the company could roll over and die the next day or announce that they were migrating to iOS or whatever.

Life comes without warranty, the only certainty is death and taxes.

In all of these discussions, regardless of the fact that reading the FAQs would answer most questions, you can install multiple programs and Cakewalk has always been pretty good about forward and backward compatibility. On my computer CbB works, Sonar Platinum works, and Sonar X3 works. I've found no need to go backwards, but if I ever do, there's the option to do so.

It was my understanding that the "idea" in the OP was the intent with the lifetime upgrade, but that never got realized.

As far as staying on X3, that is a personal choice, but there are substantial improvements in the new version(s). The real underlying issue with the monthly updates was having too many versions in the field and confusion of "what function last worked in which version?" Compound that with subscription gaps and everything becomes a nightmare.

A free "core" with paid add-ons is easier to manage and develop. So many add-ons lost focus after introduction, so never reached their full potential (matrix view, audio snap, et al.). Many were "core" items, but a free version (the new "core") versus a fully developed (paid upgrade) would make more sense. Just think of how many features you have used initially, but stopped using after you found its shortfalls.