^^^^ That is huge. The glaring black eye about "important note about customer support" at the top of the Bakery makes it obvious this is already considered. Jeopardizing the primary support vehicle as it stands today is not the wisest idea on the planet.

Sanderxpander
I guess I don't really understand the point of the Bakery. Apparently something is wrong with the current forum, since it seems it's going to be replaced? Time and again people have noted that this forum is a major boon to using Sonar. I hope they're careful and considerate of that. If many folks leave because of the significant changes, whatever those are, that would seriously impact the usefulness of the forum/Bakery. And if not much changes, what's the point of setting up a new place at all. I've only briefly visited but I too missed cues on what I'd read or not, and hate the newest-at-the-top format, that's super confusing. I understand the idea that you'll always get right to the newest information but the current forum already takes you to the last unread post when you open a thread. That makes a lot more sense to me.

I guess I mainly don't understand what CW hopes to "fix" with the Bakery, and worry that they might throw out what makes this place special in the process of "improving" it.

i agree! I usually spend a coffee each morning reading posts of interest. If Cakewalk eliminates this forum I will just have to check the command center periodically for updates. I also don't like the format of the"Bakery". At least I'll have more time to make music...
 
Walt
 

Anderton
 
 In fact I wish there was an option for it to pop up automatically after closing a project. Hmmm...guess I'll pop over to the Bakery and enter that as a request.
 

i think that is already coming in november ?
 
 
 

Anderton

Resonant Serpent
I'd rather the resources be put into fixing issues with Sonar than designing a new system.

The people working on the Bakery are not the same people who work on SONAR. I also suspect that like these forums, the Bakery software is modified off-the-shelf software. 
 
Everyone is acting like the Bakery is at 100% of its intended functionality, and the forums will disappear tomorrow. That's simply not the case. Like it or not, the approach the Bakery is taking is becoming prevalent as forums overall continue their slow decline - check out the sites for Ableton and Propellerheads. I suspect that once the Bakery has undergone its tweaks and provides useful functionality, there will be more of a crossfade between the Bakery and the forum than a hard stop. If it was up to me, which it isn't, I would maintain the forums for community and the Bakery for FAQ-style support, feature requests, and tracking. Then each would do what it does best.
 
This reminds me of the Start Screen. When it first appeared, I hated it and was vocal about my disapproval in these forums. I turned it off within a couple days of trying it. A few months later there had been enough updates that I gave it a second chance. Now I use it literally all the time. In fact I wish there was an option for it to pop up automatically after closing a project. Hmmm...guess I'll pop over to the Bakery and enter that as a request.
 

Agree 100%. The new format looks perfect for the issues you've identified. I feel this could be an optimal solution.

Anderton
I hope you're right, but I think it shows up with no project open only when starting SONAR. I want it to show up after closing a project with SONAR already running.

hmmm, perhaps you are right, I re read what it said and i may have been hopefully misunderstanding. i do recall remembering something about it in the past, maybe it was just users wanting that behavior, i think it would be good myself. if memory serves, wasn't the behavior like that at the release of the start page?, it would open when you closed a project, but at that time there was an issue with the speed of the start  page opening, resulting in users not liking it, so it was changed? could be wrong, but something tells me that's how it was. the option to have both behaviors would be the ticket 

SteveStrummerUK
 
 
"Perks and rewards"?
 
"Don't be a dick"?
 
Dare I say I find this all rather childish and patronising.
 
Cakewalk, I'm 54 years old, not 14.
 
All of a sudden I'm getting the feeling that I'm not in the generation Cakewalk are reaching out to.
 
 

 
yet at the same time they quoting a film from 2 decades ago, who I imagine most of the generation they want, won't have heard of

Regarding "perks and rewards"...as I said, I suspect the Bakery is modified off-the-shelf software and the rewards thing is where most remaining forums are going. I've obviously done a lot of studies of forums over the 20+ years I've been running my Sound, Studio, and Stage forum, and moving it up to better hosts over the years. 
 
There's a phenomenon known in the industry as "super users" and we have several of them here. A small percentage of forumites post the majority of posts. Most forums with "rewards" use them to identify super users and vet posters for the benefit of newcomers. For example there have been many times when a beginner has come in here, asked a question, and scook provided his usual terse, accurate, and helpful response. Sometimes a newbie is reluctant to follow his advice so I go in and post something to the effect that scook knows what he's talking about, give it a try. 
 
It's important to understand that anything on the web is a work in progress. However it cannot be a work in progress if no one allows it to progress. I say give the Bakery a shot, and see what happens. It's too early to have any valid data on what people like or don't like about it. Once there is data, changes can be made. 

The Grim

Anderton
 
In fact I wish there was an option for it to pop up automatically after closing a project. Hmmm...guess I'll pop over to the Bakery and enter that as a request.
 

i think that is already coming in november ?

 
FYI - I stand corrected, the November update will have the Start Screen behave as you describe. Yay!!

Thanks everyone for contributing, lots of positive comments and hopefully the few things we all agree we don't like about the Bakery will be considered and changed.   

As some may remember that I don't take a lot of bs...
I have been wrong many times. and I do respect the bakers when they are right... BUT...
I would love to believe the Bakers judgment on this new what?, "Idea forum area". is wrong!
 
IMO:
Well this is what I think... "off the top of my head" and truly not all the problems I have "to date" 
Not that many hear me.
 
I am still having many random issues with Splat (just as I was having with 3x) when it was abandon for Splat!
Yes, MANY cool features and/ or "redundant fetures ".
But every new future or fix  have created new problems for other older features... that's a fact.
 
Fixing should be first priority now....
Timing issues with metronome in 2016 10. I can't record with this problem.
I have reached the point were audio drop outs and crashing are just part of the Sonar DAW experience.
Bit Bridge does not work... The main IK UI that should be in the Mastering area does not even show up in the right category's. IK EQ status line is non existent. ProCh has a cool EQ but It you can't adjust or maneuver it as audio plays. and it should be an undocked. How hard could that be? You can't watch a video "like a tutorial" and bounce in and out of Splat, the Audio engine shuts down ant Splat needs to reboot. So yeah :share audio interface does not work.  ProCh still come on randomly. and if your mixing and all of a sudden things go nutz because you cant see the ProCh because you don't have it even showing or its up beyond the display. you look for all the real possible issues and then start looking at where the real problem was Sonar! When the DAW is The main problem! That's a problem. And still we who really use Sonar ask to remove the [R on option]. Because even logically you don't need it on with fresh new empty or freshly recorded tracks. Point2 Who animates anything until at least a ruff mix is done. Yet still after many months they cant change one line of code from [new track = off] [New project = off] then that is a problem. and [FX pain = off] until activated then ON. the recycle VSTs option is not working and is randomly allowing VSTs to stay after messing with them.
You still can't fresh boot into a project and be able to use the Custom button to go to track view. and What was this Full screen feature from a month or two back... a new feature? I had full screen toggle setup and working the day we had custom buttons... (it was a feature then)
You have to keep changing how you search categories for pluging and yes, many do not turn up in different category modes.
Now I see that they are adding other driver support... Well where is that?, never have the Bakers been this late with monthly updates... "Fixies".... not even a pre release.
    
BTW, winter is here and where is the Fully "customizable UI" to be out fall 2016?
 
And The bakers want a place to tell them about features to add... and yet............. Have not implemented the features asked for! And lets face it, the Bakers have "never" finished a fully functioning DAW... they stop working on it and start a new one... Well this is the last DAW so now what? Brick wall?
So Bakers go back to your "incentive voting program"... What a wasted of the Baker's time and talent! 
and yes Turning feature into a vote with the hand full of regulars who at the end of the day have the votes to push things to pass what they want and not what real users need!
Finish the DAW!
 
Well it was two years ago this month when I came here for help with X3 and found this Splat membership debate...  seems a be a two year cycle is about right...
 
And how do we get to the NEW mythical "add features ideas" area? You need to use the slow loading splash screen. In other words you cant get there unless you have the Splat.. How convenient that new potential customers wont have access.  And I can see this going into "this area" for help as the Backers don't answer the phone anyway. Just around the Corner...  What needs to be fixed moving... So that, once again that will keep potential customers from seeing what the problems are before they buy.... it's all about sales and nothing a bout a great DAW. I truly believe that all the cool ideas Cakewalk had are not panning out that well and now what?   
 
Hey! I know what to do to take over the DAW buzz but I'm not talking anymore! Just going to leave reviews else where ever time I have problems. as today and an hour of work crashed with only 3 active tracks, 8 muted tracks,  two buss tracks and 4 to 6 well known and used VST plugins...
Frankly a wile back this forum took a survey to see what people used Sonar for. most said they don't use it, they just have it so they can use it someday then they retire... or when they have time they play with it.
The Reality about a DAW that seems to me has major unfixable flaws that never get reported, No one uses it... 
When was the last time they added to or updated the "Artist who use" area... I looked a few weeks ago nothing new... in years, broken links or 10 year-old videos... for the most part.
I'm not going to Proof this... typos are my thing...  and this I just the way "I see it"
 
 
Well that's it! No need to respond.
 

Downvoting is a perk.
Am I the only one that thinks this is utterly ridiculous?

Please tell the authors of the Bakery.