HI:)
 
2 weeks ago I renewed my one year updates, so for now the money is gone for nothing:(
 
Thank you Gibson!
 
That's hard, but I'm trying to get it back!
 
Bassman.

At the moment the only thing I can do to write to PayPal to get the money back!
 
I have to wait a few weeks.......let you know what happens!
 
Bassman.
 

I'm sorry for you, but there might be a solution because it's very recent.
 
It would be interesting if people here could tell us how much money they lost in this scam.
 
Personally, I had an annual update program subscribed in advance until 15 November 2017. But in August 2016, I subscribed to the lifetime updates for 115 euros. I thought it certainly showed a cash problem for Cakewalk but I calculated that this could be profitable for me after 2 years of updates. But Gibson announced that it stopped Cakewalk development on 17 November 2017.
 
Therefore I can say that I paid 115 euros for 2 days of lifetime update, with no actual update. And before that I had already noticed that the rhythm of interesting updates had slowed down after the lifetime updates subscription period. What I didn't find very fair.
 
I know that the biggest problem is for the Cakewalk employees. I think about the excellent work done by the creative ones. Thank you.
 
About the marketing guys, obviously I hope they will find a new job too, but they will have to think about how to improve themselves before. First of all, learn to be honest... And learn how to sell your product. For example, how come the creative staff made such efforts to develop localized versions and there was nearly no effort to do promotion and even distribution in Europe ? For example, Cakewalk isn't available through Bestservice, the big German music software site.
 
Now we have to obtain a new version with just a serial number and no activation.

Firstly I reckon you’d have to come up with proof that it was a scam as you call it. I’m not sure there was any scam involved at all.
I don’t believe the guys at Cakewalk knew what was happening until they were notified which I imagine was just before we were told.
The lifetime updates were no doubt a way to raise money fast but that isn’t a scam that’s just a way to increase your cash flow.
I don’t think that Cakewalk could Control the degree of financial problems that their owners, Gibson were going to be in thus triggering this whole collapse.

This scenario has not been brought about by Cakewalk’s financial situation, rather Gibson’s insolvency and ongoing debt problems.

Sorry - I just don’t like using words like Scam and associating that with Cakewalk. I’ve known many of the guys there for a long time and can’t imagine them being involved in a scam.

mudgel
Firstly I reckon you’d have to come up with proof that it was a scam as you call it. I’m not sure there was any scam involved at all.

Independent from what CW could/can control, all membership prolongations are paid for the future versions. The announcement is a proof there will be no future versions.
 
I hope Bassman and other in such situation will get money back. Note that they have payed a lot of money, recent price politic was rather aggressive (even on sales).
 
For ebiboult51 I am not so sure... He has bought the license till 15.11.2017, before 6.11.2016, I mean 1.5 year in advance! How? Why? And then lifetime in addition. And strictly speaking, since Lifetime had no "limit" or bound to particular dates, I do not see any violation.

Basseman
HI:)
 
2 weeks ago I renewed my one year updates, so for now the money is gone for nothing:(
 
Thank you Gibson!
 
That's hard, but I'm trying to get it back!
 
Bassman.

Keith Albright seems to be the only Baker left online. It might be worth sending him a PM wit( your issue.

Agree with Mike on all accounts...we are all victims... including the bakers...of typical corporate malfeasance, running rampant in the world these days. Don't be an A hole!
 
PayPal...complain there... deprive the scum of illgotten funds wherever possible...I say scew gibson... they'll all have golden parachutes and the trouncing of independent small innovation by fracked up trumpsters will continue as "America" becomes a pariah  nation, polluting the planet with greed and avarice. 
 
Our beloved cadre of wonderful bakers and loyal customers? Don't spit on the people who've done amazing things...there's a real war underway... focus!

About my lifetime membership, I have just responded to a Cakewalk offer which told me something like "don't wait to extend your subscription, do it now and it will be active without any time limit, and this offer will be over soon". It's right that I was free to accept or not. At the time I believed that it was a trustful company, which wanted to build a solid customer base again.
 
I don't know US law but in France, if a firm decides to stop its activity, it must refund the customers for the subscription, UNLESS in case of bankruptcy. Maybe it's different in your system. In that particular case, I prefer the French law, it's more honest.

And I'm pretty sure that, one day or another, we will learn that Cakewalk sales figures were terrible for a few years, and that this catastrophe was predictable but hidden from the customers.
 
But maybe I'm wrong, and maybe you are right to defend the company.
 

ebibault51
I don't know US law but in France, if a firm decides to stop its activity, it must refund the customers for the subscription, UNLESS in case of bankruptcy. Maybe it's different in your system. In that particular case, I prefer the French law, it's more honest.

I have separated your case from Basseman for the following reason: you had membership with some fixed date up to 15.11.17. And till that time, there was update. You also have "lifetime", but in the license nor is sales there was any dates. 1 second... 1 minute... 1 day... 1 year... 1 century. No, just "lifetime" (of the product, that is the only official meaning, your your lifetime). And that was not called "subscription". So for that situation I do not think you have any chance to use any law. Strictly speaking, 2 days is also a valid lifetime.
 
For Basseman the situation is different, he has payed for service which starts and ends in the future, with particular dates. And there is official declaration there will be no service during that period. But that is also not completely so, just the "service" is going to be on different level (but that was never fixed in the agreement):
 
I think in France or in US, most probably Gibson layers have advised to keep a team of 1-2 persons which can be called "Sonar team" for the next year (so for the period some people have payed membership). That is sufficient to avoid problem with the law, formally there will be some "team" with some "service". They will be unable to do anything good, but the funny part - that was never promised! 
 
The more I think and read about the topic, the more I think all that was planed:
1) new plug-ins (independent parallel development) and small interface changes, no real "big movement" in the DAW. I mean all changes was "cheap and fast" to do.
2) changing to "membership" model, so asking to PAY IN ADVANCE. With the first version as a "gift" (2 years development for 1 year price! with "Coming soon", so people could see whats coming) to make people jump in.
3) dropping phone support (costs)
4) "lifetime update" (which not drunk manager can do this? in case the end is not yet known...)
5) no more "coming soon"... so NO promise to do anything (which could be used in legal accusations)
6) new price politic, with hi prices (collect even more money, with absolutely no new promises)
7) BUM
8) closing the shop...
9) ... future ... keeping 1-2 persons team for a year, to imitate "transition period"
10) ... future ... sell it to someone else ...
 
Starting from (2) up up to (5), I was breaking my head in attempt to understand how all that is going to work. But putting all that together, that make PERFECT SENSE as a business plan which can work.