fwiw, according to seth, on steam about two weeks ago, it's still in development
 
however, to make the offer, then remove all info about that and not respond to enquiries comes across as "bait and switch" - hello marketing? product manager? anyone at cakewalk?

1) well, i interpreted http://forum.cakewalk.com/Lifetime-Updates-and-SONAR-OS-X-Alpha-m3429473.aspx?tree=true as an offer of sorts - get a license, mac alpha for you
2) communications is an important part of marketing a product - which company wouldn't expect to be asked about their offerings? that's a good thing surely?
3) er?
 
/oao
 

chuckebaby
when it was first announced, there was no mention of a MAC version.
Im sure you all remember the buzz it created when they said "There is a major announcement".
Sonar Lifetime updates. MAC wasn't even mentioned until about a month later.
 
I understand the need for answers but I find pushing on these issues tend to rub the company the wrong way.
For example has anyone seen the "New features coming" on the cakewalk products page ?
Its the same old "Ripple editing" and "Comping features" that has been there since November/December.
 
Cakewalk is probably asking themselves "Is it really a good idea to let users know of our future plans when all they do is hold it against us in the form of accountability" ?
 
So while I do agree with most of what everyone here is saying, IMO I believe we sunk our own ships.
We wont be hearing about future updates anymore. We will simply get them when they are released.
Which is a shame really because I think Cakewalk was throwing out new ideas to gauge how users would respond. But instead of responding we pretty much used it as a leverage tool for "Where's our stuff".
Im not talking about just the MAC version either, im taking about new features as well like Ripple editing, comping enhancements, exc.
 
What cakewalk promised was an Alpha version. That is not something anyone can do serious work on.
That is a version that developers generally test the software using white-box techniques.
Also noted in the announcement was the Alpha version can’t run AU plug-ins, or talk to custom interface drivers only Core Audio devices will work.

agree 100%.   I appreciate the "in the oven" updates, and would hate to see them go away because of the unreasonable expectations and demands... but yes, the ship has been sunk.

pwalpwal
1) well, i interpreted http://forum.cakewalk.com/Lifetime-Updates-and-SONAR-OS-X-Alpha-m3429473.aspx?tree=true as an offer of sorts - get a license, mac alpha for you

verbatim:

I own SONAR Platinum, Professional, or Artist today. If and when SONAR becomes commercially available on OS X, will I need to purchase a new license?
No. You will be provided a new installer for your license of SONAR Artist, Professional, or Platinum. You do not need to purchase a new license.

I think that is hard to interpret differently, at least for Lifetime users. If and when it is available, you do not have to pay extra. No more. No less.
 
Has someone seen any Cakewalk schedule for commercial version of Sonar for Mac? I do not.
 
If someone has payed money for an Alpha (== crashing, features incomplete) version which is "coming soon...". Sorry people. But you have already allowed all hardware developers feel free to sell products with Beta drivers... Now you are ready to pay for not yet released Alpha product... Are you ready to pay for not yet written prototype of something next time? Industry applause! But complains should be directed toward the mirror...
 

reza
The only thing we need just a simple update that says why they didn't release the alpha in fall. That's it. No further information. 

Not even a why. Just something that says the project is still in development and an updated schedule will be coming would be enough for me. The silence just leaves one to speculated that the whole project has been scrapped.

coolbass

azslow3
 
 
So, my opinion is that current silence is the best approach from the marketing and product management perspective

 
Leaving everyone in the dark makes no sense.

I don't believe everyone is in the dark.
 
For example, some users don't even care. (I am one of those people).
Im not waiting for an Alpha version to do any serious work on. Matter of fact, I would rather they either A- release a good working version or B- have others test the Alpha and then when I know its stable, I will put it on my MAC book.
 
Imagine if they released a half baked version ? 
Im only guessing here... but I think the response would be a lot worse than "Where's the Mac version" ?
 
For you guys who are waiting though, I hope you hear something soon.
I can understand your frustration (not all of it) but most of it. yes I can.

mettelus
As some people paid money with the expectation of the alpha version is where contention has always lied. People don't go ape over Ripple Delete because it wasn't a "hey pay us and you will get that benefit."

There is a subset of people who bought into lifetime upgrades only for the Mac alpha. Those people paid money without delivery of product. The wishy washy wording of that can be dealt with at a higher level, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) specifically has a complaint vehicle for this behavior from companies as consumer protection. Anyone can file those, and they get investigated with enough information given.

Therein lies non-communication being bad. Payment (specifically) for expected product not received falls into levels of fraud. First point is getting money back, so if anyone falls into that category above, check out FTC.gov/complaint

%100 agree.

Image Line started on their Mac version long before Sonar and it's not finished.  Porting PC to Mac may be harder than anyone thought.  Windows and Mac are evolving systems.  While Windows has backwards compatibility maybe it is not so much for a Mac.  I still use M-Audio gear bought shortly after the turn of the century and they work. Mac user now have doorstops. (FW 410). 
 
 I probably wouldn't want to use an app that hasn't matured on a platform.  If Logic were available to Windows I'd wait a long time before buying it.

Pretty sure all those complaining about the possibility of fraud didn't read the ToC. 
I bet there isn't more than a handful of people who bought an entirely new license (ie not currently making music with sonar on Windows) just because of a promise of an alpha some time in the future. Most of the people complaining are just cranks who justify their existence insisting that a company to which they have no personal connection owes them something.
If I had my druthers I'd ban anybody who complains about this again. 
 

BRuys
I guess from my point of view, Mac support might be seen as necessary to gain industry credibility, as there are still some studios out there that would never let a PC darken their door (or should I say, darken their DAW) :)

An Apple computer is just normal PC, assembled by one particular company with name "Apple". From hardware point of view, it is not far away from Dell, Acer, StudioCat, etc... "Mac" vs "PC" as PPC vs Intel is in history. Intel won the battle. I got an impression OS X (10) distance to OS 9 is at least as big as PPC -> Intel / OS X -> Windows. I mean Windows XP -> Windows 10 was evaluational, OS 9 -> OS X was a revolution.
 
Apply has managed to develop and keep distinct OS. All other (Sun, Dec, IBM) either disappear or gave up. The trick was to concentrate on "front end" only (the graphic part) and take as much as possible from what exists and is proved by time (BSD). The marketing was good, they have "discovered" interesting tendency in the current world customers preferences: people are ready to pay a lot for an "exclusive quality" as long as they believe it can be called so; durability and backward compatibility have almost no weight;  it is simpler to explain people what they "should do" than try to find and apply what is the best for them. Awesome success story, at least so far...
 
I understand that as the result some people are attracted for life to the Apple brand. But that is the same as with Mercedes, Ford, Always +, etc. I mean the question is the Label, much less (if at all) in the content...