I think I first bought lifetime upgrades in 2015...
 
And I really hope that one of cake's last action will be to comment-out the "online activation" portion of SPALT's code...
 
I bought lifetime because I wanted the soft to continue working if "whatever went wrong" happened. (or, As Craig said " you keep your software and it will continue to work) ...Never thought about the mothership's bloody servers!

I bought into the lifetime subscription so I could keep consistency in my DAW and keep up to date with the new technologies. I've used Cakewalk since my first Atari ST and Pro Audio 9.

I'm now going to have to change DAW to do that at more cost, and a whole new learning curve. Yes, I understand SPlat will still work, but until what Windows update? That's my gripe.

I feel worse for the bakers and staff who've done a fantastic job. My hat goes off to you and I sincerely wish you the best of luck.

yummay
As far as I can understand, all sonar version post-X3 era will eventually stop launching after cake's servers shutdown. (for authorization).

A surprisingly common misconception, which I suppose originates with those who insisted on calling the rolling updates a "subscription". Which it never was.
 
We are merely in the same boat as folks who stopped upgrading from earlier versions because they'd reached a point where the product already did everything they needed it to do. I stayed on 8.5 for years after its official retirement and didn't feel like I was missing anything because it did everything I needed it to do.
 
The problems will occur when you upgrade your computer and need to re-authorize. Dimension Pro, Rapture and Addictive Drums are going to be problems even if SONAR isn't. Perhaps other third-party components, too. Let's hope Gibson (or the bankruptcy court) does the right thing and sets aside a small budget for maintaining the servers. Or, even better (but less likely), allows CW to post unprotected versions for download.
 

bitflipper
............Let's hope Gibson (or the bankruptcy court) does the right thing and sets aside a small budget for maintaining the servers. Or, even better (but less likely), allows CW to post unprotected versions for download.

 
Yes I recall software back in the day was usually always made available free on a mirror server somewhere when the comapny folded or removed all support. I am like you, there don't seem to be any bugs so I cannot see any reason why it will not continue to run as is for a long time.
 
Those who like to upgrade might like to perhaps create a clone image of the hard drive (using Acronis or similar) mebbe do a fresh install of W10 then all the Cakewalk programs that DO require activation from Cakewalk servers (not 3rd party companies) and the do an image. THat way they will ALWAYS have a version that will work

Indeed. Its not going to stop working immediately.
 
However I find myself suddenly reluctant to start generating new projects in a dead product knowing that I'll have to convert them at some point to keep them going or if I decide to revisit them down the line.
 
That may not be for a few years but that time is still coming. The search for a replacement DAW has begun since the bugs that drive me crazy aren't now ever getting fixed.

bitflipper

yummay
As far as I can understand, all sonar version post-X3 era will eventually stop launching after cake's servers shutdown. (for authorization).

A surprisingly common misconception, which I suppose originates with those who insisted on calling the rolling updates a "subscription". Which it never was.
 
We are merely in the same boat as folks who stopped upgrading from earlier versions because they'd reached a point where the product already did everything they needed it to do. I stayed on 8.5 for years after its official retirement and didn't feel like I was missing anything because it did everything I needed it to do.
 
The problems will occur when you upgrade your computer and need to re-authorize. Dimension Pro, Rapture and Addictive Drums are going to be problems even if SONAR isn't. Perhaps other third-party components, too. Let's hope Gibson (or the bankruptcy court) does the right thing and sets aside a small budget for maintaining the servers. Or, even better (but less likely), allows CW to post unprotected versions for download.
 

that's not completely true.  twice in the last year my sonar went into "demo mode" and told me I had 30 days to authorize.  authorization was easy enough because I just launched CC and that fixed the problem because CC reauthorized sonar for me.
 
this is a bug that was introduced some time back and was never completely fixed as far as I know.  so we could roll back to some point BEFORE that bug, but otherwise there is a problem where sonar needs re-authorization at times just sitting there.

>>Never thought about the mothership's bloody servers!
I did.  Brought it up I didn't like the switch to C/R but was told - oh come on, don't worry about it.
 
We'll see.   And buying lifetime should not be a requirement for older versions to continue to work.  Lifetime was just for updates.  The "guarantee" was that what you bought and paid for would continue to work (at the frozen update level of course).
 

joden
Yes I recall software back in the day was usually always made available free on a mirror server somewhere when the comapny folded or removed all support

yeah, but "back in the day" is many lifetimes ago in today's digital marketplace

"Why are Lifetime subs freaking out......?"

Because we are having to have this conversation after paying EXTRA to not have to have this conversation.

Ron2112

yummay
As far as I can understand, all sonar version post-X3 era will eventually stop launching after cake's servers shutdown. (for authorization).
 

 
No.  Try it now.  Disconnect your wireless and launch Sonar.  If you are a lifetime sub, there's no problem.
 
 

Sonar requires that you log into the CCC at least once per month to keep your activation current. When the CCC checks with home for updates it checks your registration.

There are numerous threads of people who’s version of Sonar o r some other software goes into demo mode because of a failure in this process. You could get Cakewalk to fix that for you but despite being told the servers will remain on, there’s no humans to do the intervention for these kinds of anomalous events. And it has nothing what so ever to do with having Lifetime updates or not. If you’re version of Sonar is paid up and fully licenced it could happen to you too.

Going forward it’s imperative that that process be removed or we’ll have dead software long before MS mucks things up with an unwanted update to Win 10.