Early Access Program Coming To Cakewalk SONAR
 
Cakewalk is introducing an Early Access Program for SONAR this spring. We want to give more end users an opportunity to check out SONAR each month before its official release to the general public.
 
 
What is the SONAR Early Access Program?
 
The SONAR Early Access Program provides an advance look of the next monthly update for SONAR Platinum, Professional and Artist as soon as the software is ready. It contains no special debug code, and is the same software we'd announce officially to the public about a week later
 
 
How Specifically Does this Help Users?
 
Much in the spirit of no longer holding features back until a single major release once a year, we want to give interested users the option to obtain software updates earlier. Although we won’t be able to make changes to the code (at that point it’s frozen), this will allow us to gather feedback on the release sooner for incorporation into future updates or hot fixes. Participation is 100% optional.
 
 
Is this a Beta Program?
 
No, our Beta Program is as big as ever. We’ll continue to release Beta software on a consistent basis, several times a month, to a wide variety of professional and hobbyist users under NDA throughout the world. We will also continue to make Betas available to dozens of major software and hardware companies as well as smaller 3rd Party plug-in makers. However, Beta software is considered pre-release, and is not part of the SONAR Early Access Program.
 
 
Does the SONAR Early Access Software Perform Normally?
 
Yes. It’s the same software update we ultimately intend to release to the general public for a given month. 
 
 
How Do I Opt In or Out?
 
To participate, simply install the SONAR Early Access release from Cakewalk Command Center or download it from your account page. If you are not interested in participating, no action is required.
 
 
I’m Interested. How Do I Get a SONAR Early Access Release?
 
When an Early Access release is available, we’ll post an announcement in the main SONAR forum. The Early Access will then appear in Command Center under the Rollback menu. There will be no "yellow light" or other indicator in Command Center. You can also obtain the SONAR Early Access release through your Cakewalk Account page under "Other Versions.” The update in Command Center and the Account page will be labeled clearly as an "Early Access" release.  Install it as you normally would, or simply ignore it until it is announced to the public.
 
 
How Can I Communicate My Feedback about the SONAR Early Access release once I've Started Using It?
 
Post any feedback about the SONAR Early Access in the Problem Reports forum. 
 
 
I Am An X3 User or I Am No Longer Eligible for Updates. Can I Still Participate and Obtain Early Access Releases?
 
No, at this time Early Access releases will be available only to users who are eligible for SONAR updates.
 
 
What is the Future of the SONAR Early Access Program?
 
First, we want to gauge interest and participation in the program. Going forward we are investigating ways to make Early Access availability more obvious, possibly through Start Screen announcements or other avenues. We are also looking into different ways to handle the reporting of feedback.
 

Interesting.
 
So presumably the difference between this and waiting for the full release is just that ezine / website other promo stuff doesn't arrive for another week?

The eZine is a variable . It may be done in time, but probably not. It's almost always a down-to-the-wire effort. However if the Early Access program generates sufficient interest, then it might be possible to restructure the eZine schedule so that a draft of features is finished first, with the ancillary stories (like "Anatomy of a SONAR Project") released concurrently with the public release.
 
 

We're just cutting out the delay between end of development on that update and release. Normally we let the "paint dry" while the other materials are being prepared and testers use the software in "release mode". In developer terminology this is the release candidate.

Right. So there might very occasionally be a change if something catastrophic comes up in that period, but that would be a rarity, is that a good reading of what you're saying?

John T
Right. So there might very occasionally be a change if something catastrophic comes up in that period, but that would be a rarity, is that a good reading of what you're saying?

That's correct.  
 
Jim
 

Excellent news Jim!
 
 

Niiice...   I'm liking the direction things are headed.    More transparency all the time.

 
I applaud this announcement.  It adds to my conviction that you at Cakewalk really care about your product and its users.
I guess I'm too old to accept the challenge of participating, but I'll follow all comments from those that do with interest.
 

Interesting idea - I like it.