Sonar X1 & Mac - The Future Prophet - Hear Me Out

I am asking a question that might have been asked before BUT it was under different circumstances. Hear me out please before you jump in... Will we get Sonar on a Mac? Does it make sense? First, I've been a hard Win fanatic and anti Apple person for a long time. Mostly because of the Apple snob factor that really turned me off, along with their OS (not putting it down but I just could not adjust). HOWEVER... Microsoft has now outlined it's plans for Windows 8 which take a drastic and rather crazy turn. This version plans to be a counter-punch to Apple's iPad touch software. It will drop a lot of tried and true Win apps (for example: you'll but a computer with a DVS player but you won't be able to play that DVD... unless you upgrade). To put it more simply, Win 8 will be Microsoft's version of a tablet touch screen technology bullied onto desktops. Microsoft is poised to make some tough decisions and move the company in bold new directions. Unfortunately this doesn't bode well for apps such as Sonar. Microsoft constantly killed and changed programs & features around to suit their needs. See the article below for more detailed references. As such, does it really make sense for Sonar to stay just on Windows? I know people will say "yes, but developing for Mac takes resources" - and I'm not disagreeing.... But remember how Microsoft Dropped the HD DVD format? It's one of the reasons Apogee gave up on Win. http://www.makeuseof.com/...t-losing-plot-opinion/ Any thought on the subject?

Beepster - They will but just like their previous versions, THERE IS A CATCH :) They'll force all new hardware manufacturers to upgrade by default to Win 8. This will mean less and less manufacturers and software makers will care about supporting an environment where Sonar can be used properly... Remember how Vista was pushed out before it was ready - but almost everybody had to pretty much swallow it whether they liked it or not?... and then spit it out :)

I totally agree with you. I just think that Microsoft isn't going to care about us, audiophiles, if they find out that they can get more $$$ from a touch OS that caters to kiddies and grandparents building photo albums easily... But are the Sonar guys aware of this? I'm assuming that they are - but who knows... We may get caught with our pants down and I HATE protools and logic (no offense to others that use these programs but I've Protooled for a long time and tried Logic also... just could not get into it)

I can't comment on SONAR on MacOS. However, I do want to clear up a few things in your OP. 

First, Microsoft didn't 'drop HD-DVD'. Toshiba was the company who developed HD-DVD and MS was a supporter of the format. However, Toshiba lost the 'format war' with Sony and their now ubiquitous Blu-ray technology in 2008. 

Once Warner Bros. announced it would no longer support HD-DVD in 2008, that was it for the format as all other major studios were supporting Blu-ray at that time. Toshiba then called it quits on making HD-DVD players, and the format war was over.

Of course, MS, who was supporting HD-DVD, implemented Blu-ray support in Windows far before Apple implemented it in MacOS.

DVDs, on the other hand, well, who watches those any more? If you use your PC as a Home Theater PC then you've already got a Blu-ray drive and Blu-ray software to play those HD discs. That same software will play DVDs. Just sayin'.

Hope that makes sense.

SP

It's the nature of the tech/software industry. That's how they make their dough. I personally have my system set up and ready to go and there is no reason it shouldn't work for years. If stuff stops being supported (which it won't for many years to come)... who cares? My system works and it's a tool that doesn't need to keep up. A hammer is a hammer. It will always be a hammer. My old DAW system still works and it is ancient. My old laptops work (not so well on the intertubes anymore but whatevs) and they are ancient. The point is no one needs to play these tech industry games. You get things set up, take the support for as long as it's available and then lock down your system as legacy gear once it isn't. Yanno?

Ha. Sethbomb! lol

I'd never need it- because for working, hard-core-controllable computing, working and recording- (for me) Windows is vastly better and cheaper and more customise-able. MUCH easier to use and customise- set up keyboard shortcuts, work under the hood... and I earn my living working and recording people with Sonar in Windows. Love it! Best app ever- best COMPANY EVER!!!  (Though I would never prefer to do internet surfing on Windows- Mac's are way better virus-wise- after had a couple of THOSE on Windows!)

But I think not having a Mac version available (except though bootcamp) is totally a bad idea. The iPad and whatever is next from that will be everywhere. It seems smart and essential to me to make Sonar available in that platform to keep it a real credible application to the music industry. And it's very important to me that Cakewalk succeeds! Because I've owned Avid products for many years. And a company that is fantastic like Cakewalk is essential. If you've ever tried to get customer service at Avid you know the opposite! Cakewalk has actual live, free phone customer support. Takes a while, but shows everything about company customer service ethic. I'm a HUGE fan. And I paid for X1 but never use it- much prefer 8.5... but it's easily worth the money to be a up-to-date customer of the company who makes my bread and butter. I record music in 8.5 all day long in my studio- it's a fantastic product! THE most important tool I own. 

I hope Cakewalk stays current with the market by becoming available on the Mac. The iPad is an echo of the future of computing I think. 

Personally, though, I still way prefer a full size keyboard, huge dual-mode monitors, and lots of full-size, pro hardware!   

firefly9000


Seth - You are RIGHT - MS was a supporter of the format, not the creator. This however does not detract from the fact that MS dropped it... after it had installed in into the Xbox. However, my point wasn't the semantics of the situation but rather that MS might take a rather abrupt turn in Win 8 and won't care what it has to drop. Will Sonar follow course and have us do touchscreen doodling??? I hope not. Speaking only for myself, I LOVE Sonar but for the life of me I can't see myself doodling. That's just my take.

My point is they didn't drop it. The format died, no fault of their own. I wouldn't read into HD-DVD losing to Blu-ray at all. That format war was fought on grounds our industry doesn't even touch. 


Win8 does seem to be a big change, though. From our testing, and what I've read, its vastly outperforms Win7. We'll see what that means in the real world soon enough. 


I am a little concerned about using an OS with a feature names, 'charms', though. LOL. 


SP

War! huh-yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again y'all

Lol Seth - but that's what they said about Vista :) ... I guess we'll see how it stacks up once the rubber hits the road. Still the point was why put all eggs in one basket :) Bapu - I don't buy that argument. I'm not saying Sonar would gain a massive foothold on Apple - but it would be FAR from the results you're predicting. I see me and Mike would go for Sonar on Apple already if it was available. One could argue that Cubase has bigger backing so therefore it was easier to have Apple and Win versions.. but look at Reaper. I'm sure there's a reason for it, but what I'm saying is maybe it's time to rethink the Win only logic. Just saying. Sonar is really awesome and I've had ProTool friends that watched me work in Sonar and were really excited about it - when I told them they can't put it on their Mac the got deflated :P ...

firefly9000


Lol Seth - but that's what they said about Vista :) ... I guess we'll see how it stacks up once the rubber hits the road. Still the point was why put all eggs in one basket :) Bapu - I don't buy that argument. I'm not saying Sonar would gain a massive foothold on Apple - but it would be FAR from the results you're predicting. I see me and Mike would go for Sonar on Apple already if it was available. One could argue that Cubase has bigger backing so therefore it was easier to have Apple and Win versions.. but look at Reaper. I'm sure there's a reason for it, but what I'm saying is maybe it's time to rethink the Win only logic. Just saying. Sonar is really awesome and I've had ProTool friends that watched me work in Sonar and were really excited about it - when I told them they can't put it on their Mac the got deflated :P ...

I'm sure Cake has done the math and moving to Mac is obviously not an economically viable business direction at this point in time. Simple as that, really.

When I say business I mean engineering firms with countless numbers of technical modelling and CAD programs, accounting firms with all their accounting things, website developers and designers, programmers, video and film editing etc. The list goes on. There is always going to be a substantial market for an OS which allows for the installation of complex software which is not used by the general public. Sure it may not be an optimised OS, but I really don't think we need to worry about losing SONAR and the typical Windows OS as we know it. There are going to be plenty of other applications out there to provide enough of a market to allow the audio guys to keep going. We'll just have to take the hurdles that come along as we are not at the top of the food chain priory wise (eg your unfortunate incompatibility issues).

Well if selling 400 million copies of Vista is a flop, its a pretty good flop.

Ugh... I'm just recalling all the Vista systems I've been forced to deal with over the years. It's like... they were on acid or something.

I don't like Apple OS, although I have to say that no matter what I personally like or dislike about it, fact is that on average it was a much more stable system than Windows. With the advent of Win 7 the playing field got pretty much leveled. But Apple always had a huge advantage - they are the hardware and software makers, whereas MS has to contend with their soft being used by literally hundreds of manufacturers. The thing I didn't like the most about Apple was its snobbish like community that would deem every piece of crap Apple made as a work of art. Lol... now I see some of that attitude from the PC side :) go figure (not referring to this thread).