Vastman

So many sad little people... glad I'm not one of them....

Yup.
 
Upgrade to lifetime or not.
 
You have the money or you don't.
 
Simples.
 

Blades
Beware: Long post is a comin'...it's not a bunch of negative complaining though, so if you have a few minutes of reading time, I'd appreciate your ear/eyes and input.
 
I am one of the folks who got sidetracked away from my music hobby.  I've been so busy running my business, working IN that business, working ON that business, learning new things about writing/creating websites and the like, and just having too little time left to dedicate to music that I've forgotten a lot of what I knew, from how to use Sonar to its fullest potential (or even creating videos teaching others how to use it) to how to play my instruments as well as I could, which aside from drums was already a challenge for me to get through.
 
I stopped at X3, but realistically, I got through 8.5, knowing it really well, got on the X1 bandwagon and didn't use it a lot, skipped X2 for many of the reasons above but also because it just didn't seem that the X generation of the application was fully baked and still stammering, then went to X3 with the intention of getting "back into it", which I basically have not.
 
When the rolling updates of Platinum and monthly or yearly subscription fees came along, I didn't nay-say like many - at least not completely.  I was watching with interest as new stuff got added, developments came out, many good, some sort of "what the heck is that and why would I care" (especially with the modules Anderton released, where maybe I'm just missing the bus, but seemed like "well we have to add SOMETHING this month...").  I also saw some of the items getting added that I think would not qualify as Core updates, like the bass loops that got added early on, described as "get these now or if you sign up later, they won't be added in the package".  These are the sorts of things that I don't really care anything about and the kind of things that I was concerned would make up a lot of the rolling updates plan.  I think I was wrong here.
 
So now I look through what all has changed with the Core of the program on the rolling updates page, plus the things that got added that I think would fall into that description in the Updates for Life plan even if they aren't actually Core like Notepad is Core to Windows.
 
So now I'm presented with a great deal: $199 for forever updates.  In the "old" non-subscription model, I'd have paid $179 in any given year to get to the new version.  I think there was one $99 time and one or two $199 times, but the jist of it is that for the most part, the $199 I'd pay now to upgrade for Lifetime updates is not that dissimilar to what I used to pay for a year.
 
If I were to go with monthly payments (like I considered when the subscriptions started), I'd have paid $180/year at $15/month.  I wouldn't have to go much past a year at the new model to make it worthwhile.  Likewise, if I had paid the $99 upfront for a year of updates, I'd only have to have done that for the two years since I stopped updating to have spent the $199. 
 
Now I can spend that same $199 and get it for good.  Granted, I didn't get any use of any of those updates for the past two+ years, but it still seems like a pretty good deal to me.
 
But only if I use it.
 
I am still trying to wrap my head around all that will get updated compared to my X3 version, how many new features will pile onto an already somewhat unfamiliar feature-set (of X3 that I can use but not as fluently as I'd prefer), how many bugs will be fixed.  I also wonder if I'll even notice many of these things, like the subtle changes in the Prochannel, the workflow changes in things like comping that are coming (I was still an old "layers guy who never really adopted the full capabilities of comping"), the additions of Melodyne Editor when I don't really think I've used Essentials over the old V-Vocal, the addition of Addictive Drums 2 when I didn't use the AD except for fiddling around, etc. 
 
I see that a ton of bugs have been fixed, but are the ones that I have addressed?  It seems that each update I've seen since quite some time has carried forward all of the bugs that have bothered me with no response as to even acknowledge that they exist.
 
I still see that there are many things that hold onto the old interfaces, like the Drum Map Manager for example.  Hideous and still somewhat problematic in the display as far as the maps themselves (and you all know that I'm a huge Drum Map advocate).  It all sorks fine, just seems really disjointed from the rest of the interface that moved forward.  I see that there are issues with the Mackie Control that never got fixed after the X series was released.  They sent the dll out to the open source and except for AzSlow, nothing seems to have happened.
 
And they are making a Mac version.  Nice for them, but I would have preferred that they at least buttoned up some of the long term things as above, fixed some stuff that people have complained about incessantly like the staff view, and focused on the program from the perspective of the (I have to imagine) the great majority of folks who use Sonar because it's great but also because they have PCs and not Macs.  I don't envision that people have PCs FOR Cakewalk as much as this other way around.  I am sure there are cases of all examples, but my guess is that people use PCs for the most part because that's what they want to use. 
 
I also see things like the Contour Shuttle device that I bought from Cakewalk many years ago - abandoned. No more plugin past the version of Sonar that was available at that time.  I understand that it was a third party product, but it was purchased from Cakewalk with software that integrated it INTO Cakewalk and then they chose not to develop that same software into their new version and now the device is far less useful and has been waiting for a miracle as it sits unplugged longing to be used again.  I have a BCF2000, an Edirol PCR800, and a Frontier Design Tranzport, and none of them are as cool as the Contour Shuttle was when it was released for controlling all the transport functions.  Just the scrub wheel not being usable at the "beat" level and instead only at the "measure" level kind of killed the device for me - seems really trivial but it was a great time saver and just worked better than any of these other devices because of its variable speed, spring-loaded wheel.
 
I only bring up a few of these as the Devil's Advocate:  How long before "lifetime" is the "lifetime of Sonar Platinum".  How long before Melodyne gets dropped out of the integration because of Sonar updates? - just an example as a third party application integration.
 
How the heck am I going to even find the things that are new, let alone learn them?
 
This early-morning post has been coming for quite some time and I've just finally had a chance to sit down and write.  So I'm sure it is a lot of rambling on a lot of topics, but I feel like I must be thinking some of the same things as many who have been around these forums for a long time as I have.  I welcome any feedback anyone has about any of this.  I'm likely to take advantage of this lifetime opportunity, but I sure would enjoy the encouragement!

Blades...I too have gotten sidetracked by other parts of life over the years... and struggled with all the updates for the past decade... but now I'm in hog heaven!  If ur still on X3 and can afford the upgrade, IMO it's a NoBrainer... Do I use half of what came out monthly over the past year?  NO...all the non core stuff?  Never touched it... but all the core improvements>>> mix recall, aux tracks, record midi+audio simultaneously/print audio whenever... it is a LONG list... and the new stuff (themes, ripple editing, etc) are WAY COOL...I CAN'T IMAGINE EVER GOING BACK TO X3... NF'nW! You are obviously articulate and have a brain... you gotta couple months to save up... do it!
 
Today I finally got paid and bought iZotopes vocal synth, the Lifetime deal, and as they were willing to include RapturePro for 39$, I bit... Rapture use to be my favorite synth in the old days and I DO like the name...she was my first love...and I'll get to know her again...
 
Yummy evening!

olive2sing
I think us smokers should get a discount, our lifetime runs out sooner.

 
Now you have a reason to give up smoking - get more value out of your lifetime updates!

On the website information page it states:“Act now! Lifetime Updates are available for purchase only until August 31st, 2016.” I have just read 5 pages of this forum thread and no one seems to be dealing with this statement. Are we talking a major game-changing announcement, or just a temporary one time only offer – a get in quick sale? It reads to me like the deal is off after August 31 and everybody goes back to the previous purchasing system. Or am I just misinterpreting the statement?

Dilaco1
On the website information page it states:“Act now! Lifetime Updates are available for purchase only until August 31st, 2016.” I have just read 5 pages of this forum thread and no one seems to be dealing with this statement. Are we talking a major game-changing announcement, or just a temporary one time only offer – a get in quick sale? It reads to me like the deal is off after August 31 and everybody goes back to the previous purchasing system. Or am I just misinterpreting the statement?

Nobody's talking about it because it's been pretty clear since the beginning of all this kafuffle. Yes, it is a time-limited offer, and on Sept 1 apparently everything will go back to the way it was before, except that those of us who have bought into the lifetime offer get Sonar Platinum updates indefinitely, without having to pay anything further. Anyone who has not done so will continue to pay monthly or yearly for whichever Sonar tier they want to, or not. The overall model has not changed. 
 
Of course, as with any such thing, Cakewalk may in fact decide to extend it, or offer it again in future, but for the moment as far as we know it's a temporary opportunity. 

upgraded. And happy...well done guys... :)
 

subtlearts

Nobody's talking about it because it's been pretty clear since the beginning of all this kafuffle. Yes, it is a time-limited offer, and on Sept 1 apparently everything will go back to the way it was before, except that those of us who have bought into the lifetime offer get Sonar Platinum updates indefinitely, without having to pay anything further. Anyone who has not done so will continue to pay monthly or yearly for whichever Sonar tier they want to, or not. The overall model has not changed. 
 
Of course, as with any such thing, Cakewalk may in fact decide to extend it, or offer it again in future, but for the moment as far as we know it's a temporary opportunity. 

 
This just might be the reasoning behind the deal. Cakewalk gets a quick influx of money to support the additional costs of development of the Mac version which will, down the road, produce another influx of money. The 4Life deal will attract a good number of current subscribers and certainly may attract a decent number of new buyers. Since the industry seems to drifting toward the subscriber model, many might be attracted to a deal for a permanent license with updates for life. Then the offer ends. The subscribers who have not jumped on the offer will not still be paying the monthly or annual price which will probably have enough holdouts and people who have bought after August 31st to generate some income flow. Then what happens when they need another influx ... well they throw the offer out again in the future.

I can see a world (on or after Sept 1, 2016) where a new purchaser of Platinum (ONLY) automatically come with lifetime upgrades/fixes/enhancements.
 
They are doing that in the store now. I imagine they will just continue with that. Future BIG sales will be "Upgrade your Artist/Professional to Platinum, with lifetime support, for $x/$y"
 
IOW, ultimately all Platinum owners will be on lifetime support. That's what a pro studio would find VERY attractive.

I for one am not buying into this money grab to support MAC development. Part of your money will go toward this and not toward updating Sonar PC. I am not giving these guys $199 of my money without seeing what I am getting. How about a written guarantee they will continue monthly updates for at least the next two years and commit to adding x number of new vsts, other plug ins, and improvements. If they are truly 'listening', how about a list of features people are requesting you will commit to. They could at any time discontinue the current platinum product or reduce the frequency or quality of the updates. Once you give them your money, you give up control and choice. 
 
Also, why are they discontinuing this offer after August. FL Studio does not have a time limit to purchase their product with Lifetime updates. This is all very fishy to me and I don't care what Craig and the other paid employees come out here and say. There is a strategy behind all of this. What if after August they announce a new product line and you want to jump to this. Well, you've lost your money. Remember no company does this sort of thing unless they financially benefit by it.
 
When they said big announcements coming, I thought this mean some great new products I would be willing to spend money on. What we got instead was a money grab called lifetime updates, a mac version which this funds the development that will be a losing proposition for them and take away from the pc version updating, and re-announcement of rolling updates which was already there. Really disappointed at this botched marketing attempt.
 
They should have just announced the lifetime update thingy and the mac version separately so the connection was not so obvious, and forgot about the rolling updates - this is old news. By the way what happened to the Library update they were working on - disappeared on the list of future updates. Browsing of vst presets sucks in Sonar compared with others such as Cubase, not to mention midi and staff view editing and features. I hope this gets fixed at some point.
 
As other people are doing, I will not renew my platinum membership and will wait and see what kind of updates they actually do and new products they bring out. If I see value a year or two down the road, then I'll jump back in. If not I have my $199 to put toward crossing over to another DAW. I will never pay for a product unseen. I know Cakewalk will offer great deals in the future and I don't feel the pressure that I will miss the boat on any of this.

bsantini99
I for one am not buying into this money grab to support MAC development...

I think that's a valid perspective.
 
Over the last 15 months, I've spent $300 on Sonar Platinum. It's not clear that I have to spend any more to keep the core product supported and running. I believe this ultimately places the pressure back on Cakewalk to produce something I actually want to pay additional money for. That is courageous of Cakewalk, and that does take a fair amount of commitment and dedication. Otherwise, they've cut off customers like me that have happily paid for nearly 20 years.
 
Allan