This is the mutts nuts. It also helps to keep productivity up when features are incrementally introduced, and also adds to keeping the enthusiasm for the product fresh as it evolves over time.
 
If something doesn't quite work for you, for example, a third party plug problem yet to be resolved, then the dashboard capability to roll back, covers that scenario too.
 
All in all, I'm really excited about this new customer centric model that the The Bakers are introducing.
 
Bravo !

All good, Greeny. :-)

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
Not sure why you think this is bad. This is exactly the same as we've always done except now you'll be getting 12 months of membership which entitles you to even more features, fixes, updates and content. And you keep everything you own. Not sure what you are upset about. Essentially right now you'll be getting what would have been X4 and X5.

I don't follow the logic here.  The old way would have had us pay 150$ for X4 and we would then have received X number of updates until X5.  With the new system, you pay 150$ and you get 'X4' and 12 months of updates.  I don't see us getting an X5 for free as that will be contained within the next twelve months for which we have to pay an additional 200$.
 
One further question.  For those of us who don't upgrade now from Producer, what will it cost to jump on the bandwagon 12 months from now ?
 

gswitz
 
I didn't see anything touch related in what I read. Any touch enhancements to look forward to?

There's something about touch in the Platinum version.
 

Paul P

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
Not sure why you think this is bad. This is exactly the same as we've always done except now you'll be getting 12 months of membership which entitles you to even more features, fixes, updates and content. And you keep everything you own. Not sure what you are upset about. Essentially right now you'll be getting what would have been X4 and X5.

I don't follow the logic here.  The old way would have had us pay 150$ for X4 and we would then have received X number of updates until X5.  With the new system, you pay 150$ and you get 'X4' and 12 months of updates.  I don't see us getting an X5 for free as that will be contained within the next twelve months for which we have to pay an additional 200$...
 

The difference is that you are not just receiving updates that fixed bugs as in the past model, you are receiving bug fixes AND new features every month.

Walt

Greeny
Note to self, fully understand things before losing my mind in future, sorry.

Actually I was hoping for a little more controversy to draw attention to the changes, so you've done your part to help the cause  
 

Paul G
 
We get 12 months of 'Membership' for free this time around.  After that, we'll be paying it forward for the updates, fixes and new content etc., (upgrade plus patches).
 

Exactly. By making it free, no one has to take a leap of faith. So the challenge for Cakewalk is to make sure that after the 12 months are up, people go "wow, that definitely was worth it, renew me!" Plans are already afoot about how to accomplish that goal.
 
It seems the developers are also behind this, and not just because the QA is simpler. It's human nature - how would you feel if you cut this GREAT tune, and someone said "Wow! That's fantastic!! Why don't you post it on YouTube in...ten months or so?"

why is z3ta 2 not included in platnium

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

thornton
why is z3ta 2 not included in platnium

Because it's an amazing, paid instrument that we spend time developing and supporting on it's own. The upgrade is $49 for Platinum customers which is a steal for such a great synth.

The last update for Windows was in 2011 (2.1), does that mean we'll get an update soon?

I have no issues with the membership model (if I have my head around it), I won't be using it, but it's another option for some.
 
Being I have 7 AD2 kits, I currently have no interest in 3 more, so this makes Plat. less appealing
 
From what I can see, x3 prod users get Rematrix Solo, and Anderton FX chains by upgrading to either Prof or Plat.
 
Features:
New! VocalSync in Plat only
New! Pattern Tool
New! FX Racks
New! Expanable Sends (this isn't a mistype by me, it from the features page)
New! Control Bar Enhancements
New! Mix Recall
New! Audio Snap Enhancements
FX Stacking
Expandable Sends
PRV Enhancements
MIDI Enhancements
Direct Stream Digital
Recycle/Pin Plugin Windows
Command Center
VST Enhancements
 
These are all nice but nothing is jumping out as must have but collectively they add up to a more flexable experience
 
So we have a new base if I understand right, that x4 won't become x5, but stay x4 with it developing in steps instead of jumps. So I can jump on when something really grabs me as more must have, or if something else changes. I may loose out on $50 off for the intro offer, but I may wait 6 months and join in after the dust has settled a few more things are added and have saved $100 for the 6 months wait. A year passes, I receive the new stuff that devolps since jumping in, and I can hold off a while until enough of the next wave of developments have me worth paying for another chunk.
 
I am unclear if this would amount to the same value as a version upgrade. If cake are going to look at bundling some fresh 3rd party stuff annually to make that appealing, because Play users would have the current stuff anyway. Or whether there will be a different pricing for having been a member for a year
 
My quandary now is, Plat or Prof? Vocal align looks interesting, but not alone enough, and the drum re placer being I don't use live drums is not expected to be of value to me.  What will happen if I go for Prof, and latter a Plat only development makes the upgrade from one to the other worth while. Will it be $50, will that jump entitle me to a XLN Artists 2 pak offer, as I'd already of had 1 AddPak with x4Prof.
 
It seems that Producer upgrades to new version of Producer have had a financial benefit making investing in the fully fledge version worth it in the long run, when the next big step occurs. I'd hate to save money now, just to pay out in over years time, taking x4 prof to the next chunk  Platinum.
 
I'm just hoping XLN come out with a some new Kits in the near future that will make Platinum suddenly a valid option for me, and save me any headaches
 
 
 

Scoot

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
The latter. Platinum customers can upgrade to Z3TA+ 2 for $49.

Cool, that's fair enough.

As a Z3ta+2 owner I can vouch that $49 is indeed a steal, no need for further updates IMHO it works great as it is and I never had a single issue with it.

Ha! My mock-up of how I thought the control bar should work, from three years ago:
 

 
 
 
 

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

Greeny
This is what we have been waiting for? Well done gibson = bye bye customers. $149 for what exactly?

Not sure why you think this is bad. This is exactly the same as we've always done except now you'll be getting 12 months of membership which entitles you to even more features, fixes, updates and content. And you keep everything you own. Not sure what you are upset about. Essentially right now you'll be getting what would have been X4 and X5.

I think it would be more realistic to say you'll be getting what would have been x4e and x5a, translating to the release and bugfix model of the most recent cycle. Or another way of looking at it is you might receive a feature in month 11 of your subscription year's membership but it might not be fixed until month 13, meaning you would have to renew for another whole year to receive a bug fix that you can keep. (Is this su5p1cion about month 13 correct?)
 
I don't mean to say there's something wrong with the new plan, just that it might not be quite fair to call it two releases in one.
 
Edit: OK, in another post (edit: fixed) an answer has been found to my "month 13 question:

You wil continue to keep everything you own after the 12th month. So say you continue to renew for 6 more months and then decide for whatever reason that you don't want to be a member, you'd keep everything you received up until month 18. However, once you opt out, you'd have to do another 12 month membership or pay upfront.