Camel Audio ceasing sales? [Update: CA acquired by Apple]

[wagtunes]

That's obviously not the case because they're answering support emails, there's the twitter 'leaks'. Hell, there's the support page announcement even.

But whatever. Courtesy is not owed. You extend it or not. And if you sign an NDA that forbids you even minimal courtesy, that's your choice as well, you're free to do so. But there's also nothing wrong about being judged according those actions.

These two or three weeks are the brunt of the storm. There's no point on bearing this and then making a big explanatory statement in March. I think it's safe to assume this is all we'll ever hear, officially.

That's just what the weather in California tells me.

FFS. Maybe the contract stated they can answer support, but not state future direction.

I WASN'T THERE, AND NOR WERE YOU.

I need you leave you armchair lawyers now and do some proper work

Well, then there's an easy way to figure that out.

Send them a 2 question email.

Question 1: Some support related issue on the product.

Question 2: Question concerning the announcement.

If they answer 1 but not 2 then it's a clear NDA as it makes no sense to answer 1 and not answer 2. I'm not talking about them saying 'We can't answer 2" I'm talking about them ignoring the question altogether like it wasn't in the support request.

That would be the dead giveaway.

Why?

If there is no NDA and they don't answer, even if it's just to say it's personal and we choose not to discuss it, then they're simply being disrespectful to their customer base. If there is an NDA then their silence makes perfect sense and settles this matter once and for all.

So who wants to send in the 2 question support email?

[Mushy Mushy]

Well, then there's an easy way to figure that out.

Send them a 2 question email.

Question 1: Some support related issue on the product.

Question 2: Question concerning the announcement.

If they answer 1 but not 2 then it's a clear NDA as it makes no sense to answer 1 and not answer 2. I'm not talking about them saying 'We can't answer 2" I'm talking about them ignoring the question altogether like it wasn't in the support request.

That would be the dead giveaway.

Why?

If there is no NDA and they don't answer, even if it's just to say it's personal and we choose not to discuss it, then they're simply being disrespectful to their customer base. If there is an NDA then their silence makes perfect sense and settles this matter once and for all.

So who wants to send in the 2 question support email?

I'm sure that's been done a zillion times already.

I'm sure the vast majority of people requesting and receiving support recently will have asked this question as well.

[bharris22]

I sure do hope it is Apple who bought CA, as they are the only company who could withstand the backlash from the existing customers, many of whom would probably not deal with the acquiror after this. My guess is that a smaller outfit would have chimed in by now, stating something along the lines of "We bought CA, and wait until you see the great things we have planned for Alchemy". At least that would help tamp down the resentment some people feel. Apple, though, they don't give a flying f*** . . . .

[robotmonkey]

And let me ask you this. The way CA handled this, do you honestly think that IF they went back into business as some other entity that their old customers would want anything to do with them?

Because I sure wouldn't buy anything from them. What's to stop them from doing this again?

When you close up shop like this with no explanation, leaving who knows how many customers who JUST bought their product maybe even ONE DAY PRIOR out in the cold, don't expect to ever go back into this business unless you plan on staying anonymous for the rest of your lives, like that's even remotely possible in the business world.

This is actually why I think that they sold their IP and not products. Because these products will be gone and they will not need to take any of their current user base into account. The tech might live on but in a completely different form or targeted to a completely new audience.

Or they just decided to end their business and be done with it.

[rustman]

If I were selling a product in a volatile market, and got an offer big enough that I could retire and do as I wish, I'd take it as long as the terms were not illegal. The answers WILL eventually come out, and it won't kill us if we have to wait. All of that only speculates that they took a high-dollar (or pound) buyout. You do what you have to to better your life. I doubt there are many of us who wouldn't take the money unless you're already loaded...then you could stick to your principals. The story behind this will eventually come out...meanwhile, Alchemy still works on my machine and I have backups.

[fmr]

Apple, though, they don't give a flying f*** . . . .

I remember a time (I think it was the eighties and beginning of the nineties) when Apple were the cool visionary unfortunate guys, and Microsoft were the ones who "don't give a flying f*** ".

Times they are a changin'

[DHR53]

I guess I no longer have to worry about upgrading from player to full version... but, I really like the couple soundsets I purchased and I have to say that a "taste of camel" loaded into the player was one of my most used plugins. Hope it works for a long time!

[fedexnman]

I wonder if this thread will stay active past July 7th 2015 ? Much like the Bitwig thread .

[Ameyah Audio]

i wrote them a support mail too about the watermarks and if Alchemy will still work after the watermarks are changed.
how long will it take until they answer in average?

[dnekm]

That part has changed with the last installer. Like I said earlier, all of the personal info has been stripped out and replaced with place holder text. The only thing left in there is your name.

Except for the soundset key files, that still has all of your information.

But, Alchemy and your presets will still work even if you remove those key files from your Alchemy folder.

I have been testing things, they really went to a lot of trouble in an attempt to de-personalize this last release....

[2ZrgE]

Customers have very long memories.

Some have, some haven't.

Most haven't (look at Sony).

[beely]

I have been testing things, they really went to a lot of trouble in an attempt to de-personalize this last release....

Really? Seems to be they just commented out the line of code in the Camel web app that adds your address into the downloaded files - that info isn't required to be there anyway, they just chose to implement it that way in the past.

It doesn't seem to me that "they really went to a lot of trouble"...

[db3]

I think all will become clear at NAMM

[fedexnman]

I think all will become clear at NAMM

Summer or Winter Namm ?

[beely]

I think all will become clear at NAMM

Why? What difference would Namm have? Any purchase done now would have absolutely no bearing on a product presented at Namm, and nothing new could be done in time.

I don't think Namm is going to bring any new info to light, personally. It's just a wish some people are hanging their hats on, without any evidence or reason as to why it would be true.

And if it really is Apple, there will be no announcement at all. Camel will just disappear in the the big black hole of Apple ownership.