Anderton
This isn't based on info from Cakewalk, but personally, I see it more like jb101. I'd consider Aux Tracks to fall under core features, but not something like Drum Replacer or Vocal Sync. Look at how FL Studio does their updates for life - core program gets updated, but add-ons like plug-ins are optional at extra cost.
If that's what Cakewalk is going to do, that makes a lot of sense. Then no one can complain about paying for something they don't need, and the people who need something can pay for it. It seems Cakewalk is really moving more in the "it's your choice" direction. This also neatly solves the problem of "what if a bug is fixed after I don't renew?"
OK if Craig is speculating openly on this here then I guess it's fair game. This makes a certain amount of sense to me, too (my previous speculation notwithstanding). In this context, the closed window of lifetime-membership availability - though of course they are free to open it again at a later date, but this particular window seems to be only until Aug 31 - is primarily a kind of an olive branch to the core faithful who have renewed this year. Otherwise, if they just dropped the bombshell of 'we are changing the model, no more major new features come with the membership, only fixes to what's already there, all major new features will be paid add-ons' it would be kind of a slap in the face to those of us that have renewed this year expecting an ongoing stream of goodies. Despite a few people insisting that they only want fixes and streamlining, most of us want that *and* some sparkly new things once in a while. This way we get to roll our investment into an 'exclusive' lifetime membership that would otherwise cost a certain amount, likely lower than it has been but still an ongoing cost, per year or per month. It's a little strange to make that offer without telling us exactly what it is we're opting into, but that would also explain the request for secrecy, which obviously hasn't gone entirely to plan. But why pre-announce it at all then?
Maybe the model simply hasn't worked as well as was hoped for and this is a necessary adjustment. Maybe they are really transitioning to a full-blown subscription model. Maybe this was planned all along (though I personally doubt this as it would require a level of dishonesty I'd prefer not to ascribe to our Bakerly friends!). Maybe my previous speculation was correct and it's just a play for needed cash-flow to support some major stuff that they're willing to bet the farm on. Or maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about (this happens frequently) and it's a completely different situation that we'll find out about in, err, 2 weeks!
Ach, it's going to be a long 2 weeks!