Since this is dead, how long will the remaining installs be available?

Subject asks it all.

I feel they should let you have a stand alone installer that doesn't need the online security link. I paid for it. There's nothing I would ever need to add to Sonar but I don't want lose what I have. I've been working on a huge project for a year and don't want to try and finish it in another DAW. Not fair to me and more importantly not fair to the guy that's paying for the project. The customer won't pay for my learning curve.
 
Here's hoping that things will be stable for a while, but I just don't trust Gibson anymore. I mean, how could I trust them ever again after buying into lifetime updates.

Well in the same thought.... are we still going to get bug fixes and new crap? NO!
So why would I ever think that Gibson would even keep a server up and running? a lair is a Lair!
Who is out there with Cakewalk to create the installer?  
 
 
 

The philips brand is mentioned. Could the cakewalk product be rebranded as a Philips product?

cityrat

mcdoma2000
 
Cakewalk provides offline activation. Install the software. Once it is installed, click on the option for offline activation. It will create a file. Upload this to Cakewalk. It will generate an activation file. Download this file and SAVE IT. This is then used to activate the software. If you save these files, you can always come back and activate the software without the need for internet access or Cakewalk servers to be active.

That works *as long as the machine ID does not change*.  IE you upgrade your computer.  Not sure what CW considers upgrade or sufficient to change machine ID (hard drive? etc).  Mother board will DEFINITELY generate a new machine ID and require re-activation (offline or otherwise).

I've always believe every company should be required to have a written *exit strategy* in place PRIOR to selling the software using challenge / response that defines their support in the event of this kind of situation.  As it is - the customer is left wondering. 

Also - there doesn't seem to be a way to set this up if you're *already authorised* - ie there is no
Help -> Offline Authorisation.

some people don't get the definition of the term "lifetime".. it's the lifetime of a product *NOT* yours etc.
 
bit like hardware companies only support drivers for a finate time..
 
in camel audio case.. the authorise side was left open, as obv. their servers were no longer.. it gave me more reason to boycott apple anyway.. they may think it's funny I spent £600 on a product that won't ever be updated, within a year of buying it. they should have sold it to NI etc. and done the right thing by it's PC users.
 
superwave vanished for years leaving me with locked plugins.. so I had to use "others" from elsewhere. I'd paid for it = I can use it.. that simple.
 
NI pulled the rug from kore 2 users.
 
if there is anything linked to cakewalk software + servers.. then they could just comment out that code and do a build without that functionality.. or make it just always return a "true" or "valid" flag, with regard to that. they said they ain't "updating" it.. I class that as a compatibility fix.
 
when you get "hit" by a few pro audio companies, then you sorta become wary. I'm sure many of us have had this over the years.
 
 
 

I'm pretty sure they're NOT obligated, at least legally, to do this if they shut it down...

mcdoma2000
Someone in another post (I can't remember which) gave a way to ensure a way to reauthorize SONAR and some Cakewalk VSTs:
If you take certain steps now, you shouldn't have to worry about the servers being offline to activate the software. Most of the software that was part of SONAR didn't require online activation. According to the Cakewalk knowledge base on the following items required activation:
Music Creator Pro
Rapture Pro/Sessions
SONAR Platinum/Professional/Artist
Z3TA+ 2
CA-2A
Cakewalk provides offline activation. Install the software. Once it is installed, click on the option for offline activation. It will create a file. Upload this to Cakewalk. It will generate an activation file. Download this file and SAVE IT. This is then used to activate the software. If you save these files, you can always come back and activate the software without the need for internet access or Cakewalk servers to be active.

Will that activation code work if I have to buy a new computer in 3 years and am trying to install on it, or is it dependent on some Machine ID?

mmarton
I'm pretty sure they're NOT obligated, at least legally, to do this if they shut it down...

I'm also sure they are not obligated to do away with the  online authorization.  It would be the decent thing to do, at least when they decide to stop running the authorization servers, but Henry J comes from a business school background that teaches that only suckers behave decently, or give more than is required to avoid breaking the law.   
 
Aside that, the legal situation will be complex, and will depend largely on the terms of the EULA and general contract law.  
 
It's not entirely cut and dried the other way either, however.  They were still selling the product last week.  Consider a consumer who has jut paid retail for Platinum Pro.  Cakewalk haven't gone bankrupt, which would dissolve any continuing customer obligation.  Even if the EULA says "we can shut down anytime,"  a court could find the clause unconscionable, or even that selling the product under those conditions was fraud.  They will probably find themselves obligated to continue authorization for a reasonable period.   The only problem will be who gets to define "reasonable." 

Thanks for your reply.
From what I have been reading here on the forum (and not actually trying it yet), i understand that offline activation still needs to communicate with the Cakewalk servers- no servers, no activation.
I am a bit afraid to give it a try for fear their site could go down in a moment- wait and see!