BlixYZ
Currently Waves is practically giving away plugins that used to be so expensive.  i think something is going on there too. maybe a completely new line of plugins that will be expensive, that make their existing plugs old news or obsolete?
suspicious.

they want you / us all on yearly update plans.. as for giving them away.. yes they were high priced at one point.. but that was years back.. would they either 1) sell very few plugins, that were out for ages  2) sell very many, and get customers they didn't before.
 
you have to adapt your business to your customers, they had to.. other also.
 
in 2000 when I was in the trade, a decent studio setup was £5-7k.. before that it was easily double that,  in the 90's.  remember DAW's used to be double what they cost. then apple bought out emagic.. probably lost money on logic.. *BUT* made the money on the mac's that could only run it. overnight software houses cut daw prices to half of that in some cases.

BlixYZ
 I had my suspicions.  
Lifetime updates?
makes no sense.
Currently Waves is practically giving away plugins that used to be so expensive.  i think something is going on there too. maybe a completely new line of plugins that will be expensive, that make their existing plugs old news or obsolete?
suspicious.

 Image Line says hello.
 
 Yes very.  Waves use to have a bad reputation over their WUP.
 

The writing was on the wall as soon as they announced the one-off lifetime subscription. I remember commenting such at the time and being poo-poo'd. I've seen the same thing happen in the gaming industry when they work out how long they think they have to go with a product's life cycle.
 
I bought the lifetime sub as I figured if I got a year or two out of it, it had covered itself and here we are. Right where I don't want to be but where I thought we might be.
 
I just figured they'd just drop the product not the whole company though. That sucks big time for everyone working there and as commented elsewhere, I really hope their period of uncertainty is short and with a positive outcome in the end.

Oh well ,  It was a nice marketing ride while it lasted .
When I purchased my Lifetime Membership I was under the impression that The SONAR Tree of Life was Alive , Vibrant and Healthy  . After today's news I'm starting to think I'm watering and trying to bring back from the dead a Charlie Brown looking SONAR Tree Of Life
 
Kenny

For me it was different last year. I had until then Artist and was happy with, I was thinking about upgrading to Professional.
Then came the lifetime offer. So I decided to make the investiton and buy Platinum new, because I thought: Price is the same as 6 times Artist or 3 times Pro. After three years my investiton has payed out. The more, as Cakewalk software cannot be sold, I feel fooled now, a year after the buying.
 
I would never have taken the Platinum, if the lifetime offer would not have been there.
 
For all the people, who used SPLAT it might be ok now as it is (I mean of course not all in all, but to say: it is ok, so I had for the same price one year splat) .
 
My conclusion: I guess, many of the people would not have jumped on Platinum, if the lifetime offer would not have existed, but would have stayed with Artist or Pro. So I feel fooled by Gibson (not Cakewalk staff)
When you put now all together, all the promises  (Mac Version, Lifetime) were made to make as many people as possible make investitions in Platinum. But somehow it felt strange.
 
For me it is very doubtful, that this was not intended that way - at least by Gibson. So this feels very close to an intended fraud.
 

11Dreams
Nice hat! :)

thanks, I put it on the Peterman account :P

Yes we will have 2017 10 for the rest of our lives!

I remember all the skepticism at the time of the lifetime upgrade. Many were concerned about how long 'lifetime' would actually be if Sonar as a DAW finished, and/or another version came on board...like Sonar Ultimate. haha. This fear was allayed by Cakewalk at the time, reassuring everyone not to worry and well, 'trust us'! We'll look after you. 
 
Well the fear of this actually occurring has occurred and those of us who have upgraded are left feeling angry, sad and helpless. What an advertising gambit...or as I see it 'con'! Lifetime indeed! One pissed-off end user here. 

"Sonar now boasts a powerful new line up designed to meet the needs of any musician, regardless of skill level or budget. You always get the latest and greatest version no matter when you make your purchase. In addition, enjoy 12 months of rolling updates and keep everything you received - forever."
 
They promised 12 months of rolling updates. I got 17 months for $125.