Please consider Sonar for Linux

That would be fantastic, but in what way are CW's practices monopolistic?

In theory I agree that having a Linux version would be nice.  However, having messed around with Linux quite frequently over the years and tried a few DAWs for Linux (Ardour, LMMS) I think there are the following major hurdles:
1) Linux still has an extremely tiny share of the desktop market, so I don't know how they'd have a business case for investing in a Linux version.
2) Few hardware manufacturers provide drivers for Linux.  That's not to say that the hardware won't work, but it will probably use drivers that are created by the community.
3) Very few VST manufacturers develop Linux versions.  This is not an issue if you can accept using LinuxVST or other open source formats.  But I would not be OK with that since I use programs like Addictive Drums and Komplete.
 
That being said, Ubuntu has released a SNAP package format that would probably work well for this type of thing, since it includes all libraries, etc needed for the specific program. 
 
The biggest issue though is #1. . .
 

Bapu, you are just jealous.

As far as drivers are concerned, this isn't an issue for class compliant interface of which there are a surprising number.

Regarding plugins, Melda plugins work using wine.

Market share may be small now, but I love it so it is bound to succeed.

gswitz
Market share may be small now, but I love it so it is bound to succeed.

Were you an early backer of CompuServe? 
 

Sycraft

bapu
People have been hoping that..... going on 20+ years now.

...are not conducive to desktop use for most people. 

Actually, the first desktop was XWindows, not Windows...   There are many desktops for linux available. Most of them top notch. I think you have a point about how things are done however. Linux users generally want to know what is happening under the hood, and sometimes can be obtuse about simple use. There are some Distributions that cater to those used to Windows however. The beauty of Linux is that anyone can create a distribution for any use. Most modern Distributions are quite easy to use, and very functional. If you have not tried Linux lately, give it a go.

Psalmist
Listening to Bapu's Streets of Juarex..  nice :)
 

Thanks.

Well - I am using Linux for years now, and a lot of sound cards (especially Firewire or USB cards) run very well and stable using the Jack Sound Server. I would love to see Sonar on Linux too.
 
I already have done a trial with (the native Linux version of) Bitwig Studio, and that went so well that I think I will purchase that software. Their forum on KVR has a few really Linux active members, that help with getting VST stuff working with Airwave.
 
So - a Sonar port would be very welcome here.. ;-).

There are no professional audiointerfaces and no professional controller for Linux.
So Linux would only be a reason for a few amateurs.
You can play with Linux or make music. But not both.

microapp
There is no one Linux for something as complex as Sonar. Cake would have to double the devel staff just to support the various distros and desktops.
Every few years I try the latest and greatest Debian,Ubuntu or Mint. This goes back to about 2000 or so.
If you want to run a webserver...great!
If you want to surf the web, check your email, do office stuff...great!
If you want to make music...not so great.
I have had to compile various display, audio and network drivers for the build and hardware I was using a number of times.
I cannot imagine the devel/support nightmare a Linux version would create and for what... 0.1% or less of users.
I think the OSX version is a great marketing idea. Linux...not so much.

 
+1 to the above.
 
I setup a Linux box to work as a desktop, as well as a VM host for various web server technologies, for my studies in web development. 
 
I thought, hey this is pretty cool, now let's see if I can run some DAW stuff on it.  So I spent a weekend trying to get various audio bits and pieces to work.
 
Afterwards I booted my Windows PC, loaded Sonar, and smiled.  It just worked
 
That said, I have pondered the possibility lately of someday seeing a Linux port for Sonar.  Especially since the MacOSX announcement.
 
I suppose it's theoretically possible since MacOSX and Linux are both Unix-like systems (MacOSX 10.5+ on Intel is certified as a UNIX). But there are still the different windowing systems, APIs, drivers, and on and on.  Not to mention that there are so many flavors of Linux to deal with, and developers making changes.
 
I believe that making music requires a stable environment.
 
But as mentioned above, support would be a big issue.  Think you have problems now with so many variations in a Windows PC hardware and software config?  Good luck with Linux, LOL!!!
 
The other issue is demand.  Desktop Linux users are a very small minority of the Linux world, even as Linux is eating the server world.  So there is little commercial incentive to port desktop apps unless there is a large enough user base to make it profitable.  Kind of a chicken or egg first question.
 
Don't get me wrong, I really think Linux has come a long way in the last 10 years, and I'm running the latest version of Linux Mint Cinnamon.  It is very smooth and polished, installation is even simpler than Windows.  Some of the things it does I like better than Windows.
 
But music creation isn't there yet, at least for me.  Media players work fine for playing recorded or streaming media.
 
But finally, here's an idea!  What if Cakewalk were to develop an Xbox style appliance for Sonar.  Plug and play.  With a walled garden approach, like Apple.  Use a customized Linux and spec the hardware to run audio. With full control of the hardware (including audio interface) tuned for Sonar, running only Sonar and approved plugins should be a cakewalk.  No support needed  (maybe, LOL)
 
Call it CakeBox!

+1 to the Linux port! There is no reason that the Linux desktop should be shunned. It may have a bit of a learning curve for windows users but what new app doesn't?
 
While some of the linux attraction is the large number of forks, that is also one of the things that is holding it back.  Personally, I think Linus should specify a linux base OS that includes various drivers and window API. This base would be what all other apps would use for development/compatibility testing. If someone wanted to fork the base then that company or developer would be responsible for the compatibility of the various apps for their fork. That would shift the onus of support and development nightmare from developers like Cakewalk to the linux distributors. It would also have the effect of stopping all the knee jerk changes that happen in the various forks or the desire to create more forks. If they refused to support the spec'd base then those branches would likely die on the vine.

microapp
There is a very good reason NOT to support Linux. There is an insignificant user base. For audio, it is essentially zero. I would much prefer Cake spend time on fixing bugs and adding new features.

Well it's never going to happen, so no worries really. 
 
No business case for it. 
 
It's just now making it to MacOSX.  We'll see how that works out.  Much larger user base of computer musicians there.

microapp
There is a very good reason NOT to support Linux. There is an insignificant user base. For audio, it is essentially zero. I would much prefer Cake spend time on fixing bugs and adding new features.

 That was the attitude at Image Line as well.