i'd be interested to know what the changes were, for sonar 2015/x-x to become compatible, none of my other apps have done such a  thing?

They didn't need to change anything, they just took the time to verify it and release a statement of official support. MS tends to change very little in the application API precisely to maintain compatibility with older apps, and even goes so far as to create workarounds for specific things. So basically anything that works on Windows 8 will work on Windows 10. It would be a very rare program that does something tricky, probably using a kernel module, that would have an issue.
 
I mean I still run games that are very, very old on my system. I play Baldur's Gate from time to time. On the box it says "Requires Windows 95/98 with DirectX 8.0 or better." Has no problems in 8.1 though.
 
But, most companies are pretty lazy about testing. So a new version of windows comes out and they don't test their stuff with it. If they release a statement at all it is something along the lines of "Any problems you have are your fault, we haven't tested this," so that they can just disclaim responsibility. If it is old software that isn't being updated anymore they just leave the compatibility listing as is (as with Baldur's Gate) if it is newer stuff, they get around to updating it eventually, usually when a new major version drops.
 
Cakewalk was just really on the stick with official testing and support. Doesn't mean the older versions don't work fine, they do. I bet any of them released for 32-bit Windows work just fine. Just means they ran a set of tests on the latest one to make sure it works well, and are proclaiming official support. They are doing it for two big reasons:
 
1) Cakewalk has a history of being up on the latest tech and Windows trends. It has been a big thing for them. New tech comes out, they jump on it much faster than competitors. So it was with 64-bit support which they were very quick with, and other things like that.
 
2) More importantly, they are trying to sell people on the new pricing model. You may notice more than a few people have been skeptical or openly hostile to the new way of selling Sonar. What they are doing to combat that is trying to show how fast you get new features and support. So this is part of that. They made sure they were ready for Windows 10 and could release an update which they could then bless as officially supported, demonstrating to people the advantage of not having to wait.

Sycraft
They didn't need to change anything, they just took the time to verify it and release a statement of official support. MS tends to change very little in the application API precisely to maintain compatibility with older apps, and even goes so far as to create workarounds for specific things. So basically anything that works on Windows 8 will work on Windows 10. It would be a very rare program that does something tricky, probably using a kernel module, that would have an issue.
 
I mean I still run games that are very, very old on my system. I play Baldur's Gate from time to time. On the box it says "Requires Windows 95/98 with DirectX 8.0 or better." Has no problems in 8.1 though.
 
But, most companies are pretty lazy about testing. So a new version of windows comes out and they don't test their stuff with it. If they release a statement at all it is something along the lines of "Any problems you have are your fault, we haven't tested this," so that they can just disclaim responsibility. If it is old software that isn't being updated anymore they just leave the compatibility listing as is (as with Baldur's Gate) if it is newer stuff, they get around to updating it eventually, usually when a new major version drops.
 
Cakewalk was just really on the stick with official testing and support. Doesn't mean the older versions don't work fine, they do. I bet any of them released for 32-bit Windows work just fine. Just means they ran a set of tests on the latest one to make sure it works well, and are proclaiming official support. They are doing it for two big reasons:
 
1) Cakewalk has a history of being up on the latest tech and Windows trends. It has been a big thing for them. New tech comes out, they jump on it much faster than competitors. So it was with 64-bit support which they were very quick with, and other things like that.
 
2) More importantly, they are trying to sell people on the new pricing model. You may notice more than a few people have been skeptical or openly hostile to the new way of selling Sonar. What they are doing to combat that is trying to show how fast you get new features and support. So this is part of that. They made sure they were ready for Windows 10 and could release an update which they could then bless as officially supported, demonstrating to people the advantage of not having to wait.

Agree. Spot on. I will wait but I TOTALLY agree. Logical and correct and how it is. Well put sir. The sad thing is people think I don't think this way. There are grey areas always.

I'm pissing my pants that was so well written. Thanks. Some people (Inc cake) think I hate Cakewalk. Nope.

I pretty mucht throw myself on the sword every time a new version comes out.

I can't resist.I upgrade.

And things don't work perfectly for a time and I report them.

Atsuko
Jeff, after the win 10 update, is your Delta 1010 working ok? Thanks.

wouldn't bother m-audio/avid are only interesting in flogging you new hardware and their drivers are woeful..their support was awful and they wanted to charge me!!! so I put mine on ebay , sold it.. and won't ever be funding the top folk at avid , who seem to forget who was paying their wages.
 
I'm waiting a bit to get a new audio card... to see what others are retiring.
 
just because windows came out don't mean you have to install it ASAP.. I only installed it on a really old PC and my new laptop because both had 8 on, and for me thats in "ME and vista" realms of awfulness
 

Yup I'm glad I'm testing it first. Reading these forums for instance you will see plenty of happy saffire Pro users on Windows 10, if I had updated on the basis of this I would have been screwed. It does not work if you are running the VIA FireWire chipset. I regard myself as a seasoned pro when it comes to new OS rollouts. However I never know what is going to happen without testing.

Yes, the more I read, the more nervous about windows 10 I get . . . mostly because I have a legacy audio card, and haven't found any conclusive proof that it will work properly in the new environment.
So I searched online, and found the particular windows update that is associated with the upgrade icon on my system tray . . . "Upgrade for Microsoft Windows" KB3035583 . . . and removed it.
Though apparently I will still need to skip this particular update by right-clicking and hiding it when installing other future updates  . . . but at least the icon in the system tray is gone, I can sleep a little more peacefully.

"Upgrade for Microsoft Windows" KB3035583 . . . and removed it.
 
Now that's the best bit of info I've gleened from this forum for a long time... thanks. 
 
I find it hillarious that I'm getting this message on an old Sony Vaio laptop that came with Vista 32 bit,  I installed a cracked version of W7 64  because Vista had to die. I don't feel guilty as it does have a licence , just for a different version of the same OS..  Sony never released some of the drivers for W7 so my card reader and function keys are useless. And now Microsnoft is saying the laptop passed the test and is good to go for W10 ? What test? did it do something I'm unaware of while I was sleeping?? 
I don't think so. 
So thanks but no thanks MS, this laptop will run on W7 until it dies a slow death..  that notification sucks and has to die.. .  
I will upgrade my Windows 8.1 computer because it can't get worse it can oly get better. But I still have a strong preferance for W7. May it stay afloat for 10 more years... 

Cactus Music
But I still have a strong preferance for W7. May it stay afloat for 10 more years... 

It will continue to receive security patches for about 4.5 years. Security updates will stop January of 2020 for Windows 7.

I've found getting into Win 10 is like getting into a cold lake for a swim. A shocker at first, but once your in it for a bit it's not so bad.