Well if you bought Cubase, why don’t you go use it and leave us to use our unprofessional free software.

Euthymia

vladasyn
I cant take freeware seriously. Can you?  

Absolutely.
 
Without Linux and Apache running most of the sites on the www, and LibreOffice, Audacity, MusicBee, Voxengo SPAN, Meldaproduction Free Bundle, ffmpeg, libflac, Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, iZotope Imager, iZotope Vinyl, Sonalksis FreeG, VLC, MediaHuman Audio Converter, MP3Tag, and now Cakewalk (among many, many others) on my desktop computer, I could not do what I do without the existence of and my personal use of freeware. It's in my critical path daily.
 
What I can't take seriously is the inability take freeware seriously. You can't be serious.

Please,
I seriously want to be very respectful / delicate here.
'True Blue' Cakewalkers come from a multitude of different backgrounds , Countries, States, Counties, Shires, ,Regimes,.....Prisons ......( & Yes Penitentiaries...............You ever hear of 'Jailhouse Rock'...DOH!!!) ........and a plethora of other ..... Google Earth Locations .....AND CULTURES.
Yes, CULTURES!!!
IT's 2018 , AND...Heck !!, this is now such a small world we live in and oftentimes we can misinterpret the TONE  of our fellow Cakewalkers who, have perhaps a very different means of expressing themselves to our good selves.
Some of us may, for instance be coming from an extremely different view of 'world economics'.
Bottom Line.
We need to be patient with all of our 'International Colleagues'. :)
 
Having Said all of that :
I am very much looking forward to Meng's and Bandlab's welcome offerings over the ensuing months.
Cheers.........Frank
 

Songroom
The fact is that BandLab are not giving away the full product, new users get the core program which is akin to the original 'Artist' version. When I opted for the former flagship release my decision was based on the wealth of additional extras it included and I can still use the majority of these with CbB. I have pretty much what I paid for with the added bonus of continued development.  
 
Base versions of other software titles (including MS Visual Studio and Unity) are also available for free. This doesn't seem to have a detrimental affect on their popularity.
 

I did not see it says anywhere that only basic version such as Artist will be free. Did it say so anywhere or is it an assumption? 

Euthymia

vladasyn
I cant take freeware seriously. Can you?  

Absolutely.
 
Without Linux and Apache running most of the sites on the www, and LibreOffice, Audacity, MusicBee, Voxengo SPAN, Meldaproduction Free Bundle, ffmpeg, libflac, Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, iZotope Imager, iZotope Vinyl, Sonalksis FreeG, VLC, MediaHuman Audio Converter, MP3Tag, and now Cakewalk (among many, many others) on my desktop computer, I could not do what I do without the existence of and my personal use of freeware. It's in my critical path daily.
 
What I can't take seriously is the inability take freeware seriously. You can't be serious.

Except Melda Production and IE, I never heard of any of the software you listed. I do not install any free software, never install any trials. I have Melda Creative bundle, I would not install Free bundle. 

:)

The initial release announcement states...
Today we’re launching Cakewalk by BandLab – a free, streamlined version of SONAR Platinum.
 
Existing Platinum users: all previously purchased third party bundles, plug-ins and instruments already installed on your system should automatically integrate with Cakewalk by BandLab. If you have all your third party products and plug-ins previously downloaded from the Command Center, everything should work seamlessly.
 
In practice this means that you'll only get the premium content if it already exists in you account and has been installed manually or through the Command Center. This is why users should install CbB alongside their existing Sonar installation.
 
This is also why a BandLab account is required, as your previous purchases will be migrated to the new system.

vladasyn
Except Melda Production and IE, I never heard of any of the software you listed. I do not install any free software, never install any trials. I have Melda Creative bundle, I would not install Free bundle. 

How about Android - ever heard of it? Unless you have an iPhone, the phone you are using is based on the free Android operating system, which is based on Linux. Linux which is also free and operates the majority of the web servers. Oh, by the way the MacOS - based on FreeBSD.
 
Free software is all around you. It powers more things than you can imagine. You are using free software, you just don't realize it.

Heather
 
You make an excellent point, example, if you flood the market with a (free) DAW that musicians & engineers can use, then mixing becomes easier when taken to a professional studio that uses the same software on hand (after it's a gift).
I have used Cakewalk for years (now Plat) plus Cubase to 9.5 among others, I still think Cakewalk is a great tool it just wasn't marketed properly by our Boston friends.
Lets see though, what it costs in two or three years when it's established like the big boys (Pro Tools ?) I look forward to Bandlabs' future with its new product !
Regard
Steve

I think the OP is probably a little old fashioned in his thinking and has trouble assimilating modern business ideas. As others have pointed out, there is plenty of highly respected free software that was made possible by using it as platforms for other revenue streams. I think older people are far more likely to think "it can't be any good if it's free," because they were raised in a time in which the idea of something like Cakewalk being free was unheard of. Young people, however, harbor no such prejudice and are thoroughly used to the idea. If you're the kind of older person who's set in his ways, this is all going to be hard to take in. There are many older people here who seem to have no problem understanding it however.

I have a friend who can't wrap his head around the fact that software no longer comes in a fancy box and he cannot shake off the idea that something which has merely been downloaded is of the same quality as something which comes on a disc with a paper manual and all the trimmings. He thinks it's all a big ripoff and that they're just trying to give you less for the same price.

As others have pointed out, there is so much free software out there used professionally. I frequently see Google calendars used by businesses, and I use a lot of free Google stuff in my own business. The free part is only a bonus. In many cases it's actually the best tool to get the job done.

Frankly I can't see the point of the OP's rant. Basic logic seems to have escaped him, and he's running with his feelings.

sharke
I think the OP is probably a little old fashioned in HER thinking 

Gender corrected