First off, I think it's very rude that you ''Bandlab'' wind down the legacy server. I was very very dissapointed that Gibson had screwed us over and had made my mind up about the continuation of Sonar I was eventually OK with the fact that I couldn't get any updates anymore! even though I spend over 500 dollars on the Sonar and lifetime upgrades. 
 
Sonar would work for me in it's current state for the upcoming years untill I would be looking out for a new DAW.
I am convinced that it would AT least be fair to give the users a choice to stay with the last version of Sonar or
make a transition to your product, instead you made this decision for us assuming we/I want this.
 
Ron
 
 

The activation process will not change. Noel's post made it very clear:

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
...nothing is going to happen to existing activation's during or after the transition to BandLab. If you choose the reinstall the software the same activation process with apply as before.

What will change is the server maintaining your account information the activation process uses.

Post Edited:

Original Question:

Me: "Blah blah... What about Sonar Platinum authorizations with the server switch?"


Me: "blah blah... Cakewalk Command Center, which connects remotely to a server to authenticate my installation when I login with my email account (now associated with Bandlab as well as Cakewalk, a migration I understand has taken place), will continue to function as it was - it will just now be rerouted to a server that Bandlab hosts?"

Person with Answer:
"Yes,  once the account migration is complete, the activation server process can start using the BandLab database. Nothing will change WRT existing activation's during or after the transition to BandLab. SONAR and all the connected products that use the Command Center and the associated "offline" process for activation will remain the same. They were and still are the only "existing activation's." This is why it is important for any user planning on continuing to use SONAR HS/Artist/Professional or Platinum create a BandLab account."

Problem solved.  

So yes, Sonar Platinum will be routed to the new servers through the Command Center automatically.
 
 

 

 

GMGM
Many of us downloaded all of the installers available in the cake store, along with serial numbers.
 
Does that not cover us offline installation?

Post Edited:

Original Question:

Me: "Blah blah... What about Sonar Platinum authorizations with the server switch?"


Me: "blah blah... Cakewalk Command Center, which connects remotely to a server to authenticate my installation when I login with my email account (now associated with Bandlab as well as Cakewalk, a migration I understand has taken place), will continue to function as it was - it will just now be rerouted to a server that Bandlab hosts?"

Person with Answer:
"Yes,  once the account migration is complete, the activation server process can start using the BandLab database. Nothing will change WRT existing activation's during or after the transition to BandLab. SONAR and all the connected products that use the Command Center and the associated "offline" process for activation will remain the same. They were and still are the only "existing activation's." This is why it is important for any user planning on continuing to use SONAR HS/Artist/Professional or Platinum create a BandLab account."

Problem solved.  

So yes, Sonar Platinum will be routed to the new servers through the Command Center automatically.

 

 

I take it no one here is into gaming. If you were, you would know that companies shut down servers all the time. The games that run perfectly fine but need to talk to the 'mothership' just to run - well they don't run anymore. And the game you paid for doesn't work - period. There have even been those intelligent folks who then set up their own server to allow folks to keep  playing (often at no charge), and the game companies force these to be shut down as well. It's illegal.
 
You have license to use the software. You don't own it - no matter how much you paid for it. Doesn't matter if your livelihood depends on it. Doesn't matter if you are a hobbyist. Any company that owns the software can shut down any of their servers at any time, even if it is required for your licensed software to run. They can do this and it is perfectly legal. They own it - not you.
 
The folks at BandLab have said that they intend to keep the servers running for authorization of older software. That cost them money. They are not required to do it as they didn't purchase the company Cakewalk (so there is no legal obligation to take on the debts and promises of the business "Cakewalk"). You have no say in the matter - you don't own anything. You want a say in things - purchase the company next time. Then you would own the software, the obligations and the debt of the company and have a say in its operations. 
 
But alas you didn't purchase Cakewalk. But neither did Meng. He purchased the IP assets. Much like a company that buys the furniture of a business in bankruptcy. Just because you buy a desk and filing cabinet doesn't mean you take on the debts and obligations of that company.
 
Also, don't forget that if you try to circumvent the authorization you can be charged with a crime.
 
This is the word of software we live in. Don't like it - tough. Society has decided (for better or worse) they no longer want to own anything.
 
Adjust.

Just a side note to your game / server analogy...while it may be true for MOST games you don't own them, just the license to use them, this is NOT true for CD Project Red games.  They hate that model.  When you buy a game from them, you own it.  No matter what.  They don't even put DRM on their games.
 
(They make the Witcher series)
 
I know...just a side note in case you are game looking for a game to actually own. (That is unless you buy it from Steam...you should buy it from gog.com as they are the sister company of CD Project Red). 

scook
The activation process will not change. Noel's post made it very clear:

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
...nothing is going to happen to existing activation's during or after the transition to BandLab. If you choose the reinstall the software the same activation process with apply as before.

What will change is the server maintaining your account information the activation process uses.

Post Edited:

Original Question:

Me: "Blah blah... What about Sonar Platinum authorizations with the server switch?"


Me: "blah blah... Cakewalk Command Center, which connects remotely to a server to authenticate my installation when I login with my email account (now associated with Bandlab as well as Cakewalk, a migration I understand has taken place), will continue to function as it was - it will just now be rerouted to a server that Bandlab hosts?"

Person with Answer:
"Yes,  once the account migration is complete, the activation server process can start using the BandLab database. Nothing will change WRT existing activation's during or after the transition to BandLab. SONAR and all the connected products that use the Command Center and the associated "offline" process for activation will remain the same. They were and still are the only "existing activation's." This is why it is important for any user planning on continuing to use SONAR HS/Artist/Professional or Platinum create a BandLab account."

Problem solved.  

So yes, Sonar Platinum will be routed to the new servers through the Command Center automatically.
 

 

 

In the future, some things will be different, and some things will be the same. Some of the things that are different will be very different, and some of the things that are different will be only slightly different. There will be other degrees of difference between those two extremes too.

I do not believe a Cakewalk website FAQ trumps the EULA but that would be a matter for the courts. WRT SONAR activation the post from BandLab's Senior Management is unambiguous.

JadedWings
First off, I think it's very rude that you ''Bandlab'' wind down the legacy server. I was very very dissapointed that Gibson had screwed us over and had made my mind up about the continuation of Sonar I was eventually OK with the fact that I couldn't get any updates anymore! even though I spend over 500 dollars on the Sonar and lifetime upgrades. 
 
Sonar would work for me in it's current state for the upcoming years untill I would be looking out for a new DAW.
I am convinced that it would AT least be fair to give the users a choice to stay with the last version of Sonar or
make a transition to your product, instead you made this decision for us assuming we/I want this.
 
Ron

Winding down the Legacy Servers is not the same as saying the authorization process will be stopped. We'll have to see what exactly BandLab means by this change.
 
It could be the servers will be shutdown and the software running there now will be migrated to a new server (or farm of servers), or it could mean the "Offline Solution" will be offered. It could mean that a code upgrade to Command Center will be needed so that Command Center points to the new authentication services, or no longer needs to. Or it could kill all existing 2015+ SONAR installs. We don't know any of this yet so it is too early to be condemning BandLab for this. It is also too early to praise this action as well. We don't know enough either way.

However, Meng has been generally transparent and forthcoming. As long as your instance of SONAR continues to work, use it. Once the dust settles and we know what is real and true we must reassess where we are and if there is something to complain about. After that, complain if warranted.

We should certainly be able to voice our concern and expectations right now, but the doom and gloom does no one any good. Noel Borthwick works for BandLab and is also the one that told us that a solution to keep using SONAR would be provided in the event the Authorization Service is shutdown. We have to see how this pans out, but I'd give him the benefit of the doubt for now, and to BandLab in general as well.

Paint me "Cautiously Optimistic."
 
Calling BandLab rude before we know what outcome results from the changes is itself rude. You can ask for explicit confirmations without being rude. Offer instead that you EXPECT that existing SONAR users will CONTINUE to be able to USE it. I certainly expect this. I also look forward to the opportunity to migrate to the new DAW as yet unnamed (beyond the moniker TDFKAS) if it turns out to be a viable choice. Especially if we get the needed code fixes that bring long term stability to those projects that currently crash SONAR. If I don't like the new TDFKAS I should be able and expect to be able to stick with the SONAR I use now. I expect BandLab to do what is necessary to fulfill Noel's promise in that regard.