The PC has become a staple in my studio.  2 out of 3 engineers who use Sonar at my spot are hooked on it.  We like it because it simulates mixing with a real console, complete with eq, compression, console emu, tape emu, and FX all before inserting a single plugin into the bin. 
I also like some of the suggestions for making it more flexible, but I encourage you to stop avoiding it, and give it a try.  The sound is pleasing and natural, and the CPU usage is low.  It's beautiful integration.

To the OP...I think you have a lot of misconceptions on what the ProChannels are all about, how they are integrated, and how Cakewalk has applied them to Sonar. They remain, IMO, one of the defining features of Sonar vs. other DAW's. This was stated by another as well.
 
You can view as many ProChannel strips as you can fit on your monitor by viewing them (as expanded strips) in the Console View. You need not limit yourself to just viewing the ProChannel in the Inspector.  And the Inspector is bad ***!  Sure, it takes up a little horizontal real estate, but it's a quick and easy tool to always have your basics up front and center.
 

sJohn
My post was meant for the OP. I'm sorry I wasn't clear about it.

 
Unrelated topic, how does one acquire, on average, 2,487 posts per year? You have got to be one of the top posters here! I think Mike McCue(?) has about 47,999 posts or something?

> I want to spend my money on guitars and women, not software.
 
Finally I've worked out where I am going wrong...

How does one acquire, on average, 2,487 posts per year?

Here is the shortcut:
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FAQ-Coffee-House-FAQ-m2562670-p837.aspx
 
 

CakeAlexS
How does one acquire, on average, 2,487 posts per year?
Here is the shortcut:
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FAQ-Coffee-House-FAQ-m2562670-p837.aspx

"Unrelated topic, how does one acquire, on average, 2,487 posts per year? You have got to be one of the top posters here! I think Mike McCue(?) has about 47,999 posts or something?"
 
I have no idea. I don't keep track of post count. I do try to post useful and or helpful things. I rarely ever post a silly + 1 sort of of post. I strive to add to the forum not clutter it. I have been known to encourage good well written posts of others with a comment of appreciation. And I don't post for the sake of posting. I often refrain from posting when it would mean only posting something that may come off as purely confrontational.
 
   

back on topic, i consider the pro-channel to be a business strategy

@pharohoknaughty - 
 
(quoting from your above post):
 
"I ignore the Track Inspector because it offers less information and takes up much more space than the track pane. Using the track pane, you can scan every detail about all tracks. Especially in older versions of Sonar. (they took away the MIDI key change in Sonar X). The track inspector, on the other hand requires layered windows to see what is going on, and you have to look at each track one at a time."
 
If you were referring to being able to transpose midi notes at the track level, like raising/dropping by an octave and such, that is accomplished with 'MIDI Key+', which you can see in the Track Inspector, near the bottom right.  (the doc refers to that as part of the MIDI Offset Controls).
 
Here is a link to that portion of the documentation:
 
http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/default.aspx?Doc=SONAR%20X2&Lang=EN&Req=Inspectors.3.html#1220713
 
Also, you can toggle display of the Track Properties information by clicking on/off the 'Track' button at the top of the Track Inspector pane, and collapse/expand the whole Inspector pane.  Hitting 'I' on your computer keyboard will also toggle collapse/expand as well, if you would rather use a shortcut key than the mouse.
 
I hope that helps.  I generally have it docked on the left (its default docking position), and have it collapsed until some tweaking is needed.
 
I would imagine you could also undock it and float it off to somewhere else, like a second display, if you wanted to, in the alternative.
 
Many times I am tracking while watching TV, and so my primary 46" display is not available, so when everything is on one screen I find it easier to tweak track parameters using the Track Inspector, rather than either vertically expanding a track in the Track Pane or viewing the Console.
 
Hope any of the above is of any use to you.
 
Bob Bone