I really want to stay with Cakewalk but the workarounds and other issues, that are not getting patched plus the fact that we are not hearing anything from Cake about fixes, has caused me to layout some cash for competitors DAWs. I would much prefer using/knowing One DAW but I currently feel need to have a backup plan.
 
As far as the "touch thing" goes I personally have no use for it. I seriously hope that they don't get so buried in it that the next update/upgrade will require users to update their O/S to Windows 8.x. It doesn't make good business sense but who knows...

DeeringAmps
Guys its all about "Touch".
Cake is working feverishly to lead the charge.

Its one place that can steal the march on the competition and they are already ahead so it logical X3 will have more touch orientated features. I can't say the prospect excites me. Yes, it enables compact, configurable and low cost multi touch control surface options, but touch screens and I have never really had that great a relationship. Also touch is the reason for the huge screen elements we see on so much software these days. About the only thing I have against WIN 8 is the HUGE tiles on the start screen
 
 
 

they can only "steal the march" if competitors are also interested in the touch gimmick; personally i think they've changed target market to a consumer one (rather than pro)
 

If  Cakewalk quit supporting Win 7 then I simply will not upgrade to X3. My system works great and I don't want to pay for an OS I don't need. Roland/Cakewalk need to make some kind of noise pretty soon. It seems like every other DAW company are making big leaps.

Maybe I'm whipping a dead horse here; BUT,
 
If X3 (or any new Sonar Xx) required a move to Win 8.x (with no backward compatibility) to give us the completely "rock solid", truly "Professional" DAW we all want/NEED, I'd have to suck it up and step up.
Would I "love" leaving my FW-1884 behind? Nope!
Would I jump on the "Touch" bandwagon (given my experience with the iPhone and the "touch" in general), I'd be cautious before spending a bundle a big screen to lay on the desktop; but I would have to check it out! (I bought a MCU and sent it back)
 
I'm sure that Win 8.1 is complicating development, or we would have "something".
Call it X2b or a "quick fix", "hot fix"; whatever.
 
Look at MS, Win 8 is about as HUGE a success as Vista, and heads are rolling.
 
In the meantime, I see X2a as a "professional" DAW.
I'm confident that there is a truly "Professional" DAW in the works...
 
T

Too much time has passed to expect X2b, but had Cakewalk released that, they wouldn't have had to try so hard with $49 last-day sales for upgrades to X2. Sales that sharp illustrate a state of desperation to some degree. An update would have shown a sense of seriousness and true value of the product. I don't want to diminish the hard work of the Cake guys, but I can only explain my perceptions since communications are slim. X2b would have been more appealing than slashing prices to discount the public gripes on forums. Either way works, but you can see how people react to slashed prices vs. how they would react to no sales and a free X2b update. See?

brconflict
.... they wouldn't have had to try so hard with $49 last-day sales for upgrades to X2. Sales that sharp illustrate a state of desperation to some degree. 

Or some math wizard figured X sales @$49 is better than a projected 20% of the X sales @$179.

bapu

brconflict
.... they wouldn't have had to try so hard with $49 last-day sales for upgrades to X2. Sales that sharp illustrate a state of desperation to some degree. 

Or some math wizard figured X sales @$49 is better than a projected 20% of the X sales @$179.

I just think it's typical business 101.

Offer a reduction on aged goods before the next major release hoping to attract more sales & broaden the customer base.

Isn't that what IKM is doing with their VSTi's?
 
Just sayin'; I mean I have them all, and T-Racks Grand CS and Amplitube and Ampeg and...
the list goes on, or is it; The beat goes on???
Not trying to stur up the hornet's nest or nuthin'!
 
T