Ampfixer, Bandlab isn't forcing anything on you. They haven't directly taken on the userbase which is why if you want to continue with Cakewalk software, you have to register to Bandlab. If you don't want to continue, you simply don't register. Bandlab is not responsible for any business you did with Gibson via Cakewalk Inc. Bandlab owes you nothing - like you said, you have not entered into any contract with them. Your Sonar Platinum is now a separate product, dead software that is no longer supported due to the developers Cakewalk Inc. going out of business. It will continue to work while you have it installed. Bandlab however, is likely to be kind enough to continue to give you access to your downloadable products from before as well as free access to updates of the core software. If you want that access you have to sign up for a Bandlab account so that they can authenticate your right to access. If you don't want to use the Bandlab platform, you do not have to. You haven't been wronged in any way by Bandlab so your continual complaining is utterly pointless!
 
Craig, I agree. I think the outcome is probably better than any of us could have predicted. It seems monthly updates will continue and those of us who purchased free life updates will continue to get that, but now so will everyone else. There are other advantages I can see too, such as Cakewalk becoming a far more popular DAW, if not the most popular due to it being free. That also means increased community support. Unlike before there are likely to be fewer constraints and interference from a parent company when it comes to development and direction. In all, the future looks bright. I don't know if Cakewalk will become my primary DAW again now that I have moved to Samplitude, but I will certainly have it installed and keep it updated to see how it develops.

Leadfoot
The big difference now is that offline Splat users are pretty much out of luck when it comes to updating to CbB...

A temporary problem. Noel has promised that an offline registration option will be forthcoming, and I have complete faith in Noel's word. Don't fall prey to the FOMO syndrome. Given that this first version of CbB is essentially the last release of Platinum, you're not missing out on anything by holding off a bit.

Bristol_Jonesey
Nobody is forcing you to do anything. Where did you pick that up from?
 
You existing Platinum installation will continue to work unless a future Windows update or hardware change kills it. What then?
 
Well, to coin a phrase, you're buggered - because you'll be trying to use software provided by a company which no longer exists.

Which of course has NEVER happened before even once in the entire history of software.

Based on posts seen to date I would go with an image over a system restore point, since restore points do fail. There has been little transparency on this Assistant and it gets flagged by Windows Defender even, updates without information, and has invasive registration. Those simple things are actually huge for "professionalism" in the IT world, especially now that data mining and personal security get to testify before Congress.

CbB and this Assistant are joined at the hip, but trust for one doesn't warrant trust for the other.

ampfixer
I admire your positive and constructive attitude Craig. The issue for me is not the Bandlab software. Cakewalk may, or may not be out of business. I don't know. All I know is they stopped work and laid off the staff. Their intellectual property (whatever that is) has been sold to a new company. I had a contract with Cakewalk based on a fee paid for a product, but I have no contract with BAndlab. They have no responsibility to me in any way. If my Cakewalk purchased stuff stops working they don't have to help me. They are a completely new and un-tethered entity.
 
Fair enough. But why am I being coerced into a relationship with this new company in order to use the goods I bought from the company that is now gone. I feel like Bandlab actually bought the registered users of the Cakewalk company. For me that's the crux of the entire problem. There was no formal wrapping up of my contract with Cakewalk. I should be able to walk away with everything I purchased, and the ability to use it until it becomes unserviceable. 
 
I have purchased alternatives due to the uncertainty of this situation and I really like them. This does not prevent me from using the Cakewalk software I have paid for, but Bandlab now says I have to go through them to do so. I want nothing to do with Bandlab really, it's not my thing, I don't do social media.
 
So how is it legal for a company that I have no contract with, to force me into providing them with my personal information, product codes, buying history and credit card information, to access something that they don't own and have no responsibility for?
 
Meng?, Noel?  How about somebody explain how this works. 

You remark how you have no contract with BandLab, but then it seems you expect BandLab to honor your previous "contract" with Cakewalk.
 
There seems to be this lingering misconception that people own the software they purchase, or even that the license they buy entitles them to install and use it for life. That's not the case at all - the license entitles you to use it for as long as the terms and conditions of that license allow. If it's software that requires an online activation (quite legal), then there is no legal obligation on the part of anyone to perpetuate that activation mechanism after the closure of the company which provides it. I very much doubt Cakewalk's TOC made any such guarantee. But this is stuff that we agree to when we purchase a license and install the program. You went in with open eyes and were quite entitled to reject Cakewalk's offer and purchase another DAW license instead. 
 
Also, where do you get the idea from that you have to give BandLab your credit card details in order to install Cakewalk? As far as I know CleverBridge has those credit card details, not Cakewalk or BandLab. 
 
Nor do I understand the objection "I don't do social media." Of what relevance is that? Signing up a BandLab account does not obligate anyone to partake in social media activities. You don't have to share anything or collaborate with anyone. I understand a lot of older people have this innate mistrust and/or hatred of social media, but frankly I think it's taken too far. At the end of the day social media, in whatever form, is just a form of collective communication that you can utilize in thousands of different ways. Just because some people choose to abuse it or make asses of themselves or become "addicted" or whatever, does not mean that the whole idea of collective communication is bad. I'm pretty sure that when telephones took off, there were those who looked askew at them on the basis that they were going to encourage people to sit at home alone instead of going out to meet them face to face. 
 
This forum is a form of social media. People meet here collectively, they communicate, share ideas, post songs, offer comments, goof off, post interesting articles and generally do everything that you can do on any other social media platform. It's just a "venue" and you can either lurk or participate. BandLab is no different in that respect. I'm not seeing what you'd be losing or risking by signing up to BandLab. If it all just boils down to a "personal view" then fine, but I don't see why BandLab should have to bend over backwards for or accommodate people who refuse to have anything to do with them. They have no legal or moral obligations in this regard. 
 

redundant post
 

...I understand a lot of older people have this innate mistrust and/or hatred of social media

That's because we old people are the last generation to have experienced both worlds: before and after social media. Younger people have no basis for comparison. They are far less likely to value privacy, because they've grown up in a world where it never existed. In another generation everyone will know everything about everyone else, and it'll be viewed as completely normal.
 

bitflipper

Leadfoot
The big difference now is that offline Splat users are pretty much out of luck when it comes to updating to CbB...

A temporary problem. Noel has promised that an offline registration option will be forthcoming, and I have complete faith in Noel's word. Don't fall prey to the FOMO syndrome. Given that this first version of CbB is essentially the last release of Platinum, you're not missing out on anything by holding off a bit.

You're right, Bit. Thank you.

bitflipper
A temporary problem. Noel has promised that an offline registration option will be forthcoming, and I have complete faith in Noel's word. Don't fall prey to the FOMO syndrome. Given that this first version of CbB is essentially the last release of Platinum, you're not missing out on anything by holding off a bit.

Did Noel say there would be an offline registration for SPLAT versions?
If not then I have a problem with this line of thought that assumes that CbB will address the agreement I made with the legacy company.

I am not being unreasonable or unfair to say
I want and deserve
an offline authorization patch for when the servers go belly up so that when I want to build a new PC
I can use the software that I purchased the license for.

I entered into an agreement by purchasing the license of software from whoever it is/was
and the agreement was that I can use it as long as I want *with no end date*.
I paid money. I just want what I paid for.
It's only fair.

I did not agree
to upgrade to a newer version than the one that works for me.
There was no problem with me staying at 2017.01 and watching 10 (is it 10?)
or so newer versions come and go.
All of that was within the original agreement and totally fine with both parties.
However, assuming that a change to CbB will satisfy that original agreement is not legally accurate or acceptable.
It's a nice and generous gesture by BandLab to offer CbB for free,
but for me CbB is not an improvement or even an acceptable cross grade.

Simply put, for me, (that is for me alone, I'm not speaking for anyone other than myself)
it is a downgrade.

see specific details here:
http://forum.cakewalk.com...-m3747143.aspx#3747143

I don't expect BL to make fixes to accommodate my personal needs,
the same way I didn't expect the Legacy company to make changes to accommodate my needs.

I only expect what is fair and what was agreed upon and to use the version (2017.01) that works best for me.

bitflipper

...I understand a lot of older people have this innate mistrust and/or hatred of social media

That's because we old people are the last generation to have experienced both worlds: before and after social media. Younger people have no basis for comparison. They are far less likely to value privacy, because they've grown up in a world where it never existed. In another generation everyone will know everything about everyone else, and it'll be viewed as completely normal.
 

And thankfully we older ones won't have to live in such an Orwellian world.