mudgel

pbognar
To those who feared the death of Sonar is near, the new forum would tend to contradict that - unless a new Cakewalk DAW is around the corner, or Cakewalk is going to focus on instruments and effects. 

I'm not sure that we fear the death of SONAR (well not me anyway). I have no information about cakewalk's financial standing as a viable cog in the larger Roland wheel.
I think people are reacting to the change in Cakewalk staff presence on the forums and the feeling of being in the dark that has gradually crept into the former relationship we had with Cakewalk staffers via the forum. When those who were the public face of Cakewalk on the forums and trade shows are no longer with the company (transferred to Roland like Robin Kelly and Brandon Ryan or sacked like Seth Perlstein) then without identified replacements It would seem obvious why some of us feel a little twitchy.
Add to that, in recent years we've seen Cakewalk move from an annual release to a shifting development cycle and everyone is speculating.
SONAR 8.5 to SONAR X1 was about 15 months then nearly 2 years between SONAR X1 and X2; now we've already had 6 months since the X2a release and still no update or word of one. Just food for thought and if there's one thing we do well on this forum, is we speculate more with a decrease in information.

Hey Mike,
 
I actually have a few questions about this since you and I both mentioned some of the same stuff, yet no one seemed to comment on what I had mentioned...so I'm curious to get your take if you don't mind? Please keep in mind I'm not singling you out or trying to start a confrontation with you. I'm seriously interested in hearing your opinion.
 
You mentioned staff presence, public face, transferred, sacked, shifting development cycle etc. My questions are:
 
1. I mentioned in an earlier post that none of us truly has a clue what those employees really did behind the scenes. Meeting a nice guy at a trade show and hearing a good voice that may know how to describe the software is hardly a reason to boycott the software as I've read. Do you or anyone else know how good said employees were to where this discussion is even coming up and should it really matter to anyone other than said employees?
 
How do we know those they have gotten rid of or those who have been transferred weren't a part of a changed plan for the better? I seem to remember quite a lot of bugs in every version of Sonar with the same old BS in EVERY release other than 8.5, don't you? Maybe it was time for a change...why should anyone choose sides? I mean no offense to anyone past or present in Cakewalk nor anyone who may be buds with a past or present employee, but there have been calls made that I personally cringed at as well as laughed at while shaking my head in disgust. I'm ready for something new with some new blood. This new forum is a good start. Someone is listening to us.
 
2. I personally am happy with a longer development cycle. I really wouldn't mind waiting 2 years if there are less bugs, more stability, and more of "what the users want" instead of what some suit decides we should have. Seriously. I think that quite a few of us have ridden this train for a long time. We of course are not entitled to anything, but I think ANYTHING that pops up time and time again that has any sense of meat behind it as far as users go, should be considered, don't you? And, if the cycles to deliver this stuff take longer, isn't that what most people want?
 
This is one thing I've heard since Sonar 6....people asking them to "get it right, no need to rush these out." Again I say....I sincerely believe someone is listening to us now. Sure, things aren't perfect but I'm really trying to keep my faith while hoping someone reads these threads and has a clue. What are your thoughts there? Should the length of the release cycle be something people look at as negative? Should the company give us info on something they themselves don't even know yet in order to quell the rebellion? I think that sort of puts them on the spot and can be a bad way to go about it.
 
For example, look at Drumagog. They promised people a long time ago that they would get x64 plugs done. They still haven't been able to crack it for some reason and let me tell you, they paid for that on their forum. Quite a few users have bashed their brains in. All because someone thought it would be good to tell the masses they'd have something at the end of the year or something. A year or more has gone by...and man, people are upset about it.
 
That said, I wouldn't mind an "eye in the sky baker" signing on saying:
 
"Hey guys, I don't have any ETA on anything...but this is what I know as of now...
 
We have plans for:
VST 4.12.956 (LOL)
Better Scoring and Notation
Colors and options implemented
Better Video handling
Take lanes fixed
Gapless audio engine
Speed/Pitch control knob
Increased Stability
Window sizing fixed
0 latency support for Sound Blasters for CJ (Hahaha!)
 
We're hoping this will be in X18 but you'll most likely see some of this in a patch that may be out around the middle of July. That's what we hope for, but we really don't know for sure as you know how this stuff can be."
 
Wishful thinking I know...but hey, someone on here has to fantasize. :)
 
-Danny

I have to post. I don't want to because I think this thread is an insult to CW. Nor do I think it is posted in any sort of good faith. The question asked can't be answered with any certainty. The OP has to know that. Also it in a way it puts people on record. What happens if you say I wont upgrade now but later when a new version is released you go for it? Or the opposite?
 
 
 
Mike you have been around long enough to know that CW does not normally get involved with the threads on this forum. Thats not to say they don't come here and say something on occasion. But its been my experience that it runs hot or cold with the Bakers. Sometimes they are here other times they are not. Usually they are here when there is a new release. 
 
Often members beg for CW to answer a question  here. That is often futile for good reasons. It encourages more begging.
 
We don't know what is going on at CW but that seems not to impede speculation. What we are seeing is a rumor mill in full operation and those that have been here awhile ought to know better.
No matter what your views are on X2 I think its very unfair to persist with negative comments about CW's future. No one here knows anything about it. All it does is cause a general low morale for us and for the people at CW. 
 
If you care about this forum and CW and how well it does please put an end to this thread. 
 
I do not want CW to do anything but we can simply stop posting in it. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

swamptooth

dorism
Touch is a gimmick - how did this even make the list?

remember the people who said midi was a gimmick?

nope

i don't believe touch is a gimmick. Look at the Slate Raven for instance. And anyone who uses an iPad can attest that touch can in fact work very well and be non-fatiguing too.

Just check out how Steinberg have implemented drum maps, midi editing, audio beat detection and quantising, comping, note expression, improved their audio engine, scoring, improved stability, delivered a continuous stream of patches and new features and then tell me touch is a big deal. it's fine if you are working on a laptop but it's not an urgent priority and it is not targeting professional/studio use. There are bigger fish to fry at the moment.

backwoods
i don't believe touch is a gimmick. Look at the Slate Raven for instance. And anyone who uses an iPad can attest that touch can in fact work very well and be non-fatiguing too.

you ever tried word processing on an ipad?

look at the manifold complaints on the Steinberg boards too dorism...
 
I own Wavelab (haven't upgraded to the latest version) and Nuendo (never use it, have bad luck with it, still trying to find a buyer for it) and both those programs are more easily tipped over by me than X2. 
 
The automatic chord suggester thing just looks corny too. 

Touch is not a gimmick.   Touch and glass are the future of now.  Anyways, I hate to jump into a Crazy Eddie of a thread, but not only do I expect X2b shortly after the next major Windows, but I expect X2c, and possibly d before the release of X3.  I expect X3 to be a powerhouse of a DAW.  
 
I haven't upgraded to X2, but I will to X3.  I'm skipping a version..  Its mostly economic.  Its just more viable for me to skip a release or two of software, rather than get every version.
 
Thing is:  All software has bugs.  I have paid for so much software, and it all has bugs.  You think Sonar/Cakewalk has a bug problem..  Whatever..  Just be thankful Northrup Grumman has a team full of proofreaders checking out the drone code..  or do they?  I dunno..

it's true - Steinberg products have bugs too. The main difference is Steinberg appear to be doing something about it. Cakewalk. I'm not not so sure.

dorism
it's true - Steinberg products have bugs too. The main difference is Steinberg appear to be doing something about it. Cakewalk. I'm not not so sure.

Yes indeed..  Steinberg is currently working on a new procedure for version 8.  def random_crash(crash for no apparent reason):
 
Stay tuned for more info