[Fixed in 4.4] Weird bug: latest "Spectral Suite" update not included in upgrade plan

[SLiC]

Ultimately, no matter how much you prefer Bitwig over other DAWS, there is a point that users walk away. This isn't it for me, but it may be for some. If the next update feels light, like these devices were 'stripped out' then that is the next major potential tipping point.

The only thing I am personally concerned about is that Bitwig only made a very small profit last year, and if this debacle does discourage new users and upgraders, they could be in trouble next year. I want Bitwig to survive and prosper so I think they need to look at this...did anyone do the maths- how many people will upgrade less often or how many new users will be put of buying, versus how many people will buy the 'add ons'...

[tempsperdu]

Look, you can frame it anyway you want. That’s you’re right even if I personally don’t agree with it and don’t join you in it. But you obviously don’t value the DAW the same way I do, and again, that’s fine it’s your right. However, your attitude - I won’t be upgrading anymore until I see features I want - isn’t the attitude I’m talking about. I’m talking about the cacophony of refusals to upgrade period. To switch daws. That’s killing Bitwig.

There probably is a way out of this but as it was Bitwig that got themselves into this mess, then there's not really anything else that anyone else can do to get them out of it.
It may well be that if they don't, they've completely scotched their ability to be a viable company, sad as that would be.
Most think there has never previously been this amount of negative reaction to an 'event', Bitwig really should try to understand the possible implications.

[billinder33]

I’m talking about the cacophony of refusals to upgrade period. To switch daws. That’s killing Bitwig.

If anything's killing Bitwig, it's their own business practices, not upset users. This situation was created by Bitwig, not the user base.

I had made the decision to spend the $400 this coming week and buy into Bitwig after 20 years with Reaper. Between forums, Youtube, the website, and even the product manuals, I'd done enough research on Bitwig to understand the the arrangement (legal or tacit) that they had with their community, and fact is, they just rug-pulled all the goodwill they spent a decade building.

After watching them turn their back on their own user agreements, whether outright fraud or simply just downright deceptive, I'm staying put. I bet the folks working at Ableton are kicking back, sipping on champaign right now, just watching Bitwig commit seppuku.

This is the type of failure that you read about in university undergrad business school studies.

[Phil B]

in 2.5 it goes on to say "he/she is entitled to receive free Upgrades for a period of 12 months, beginning with the registration of the license in the Bitwig user account. The User has the right to install and perpetually use all Upgrades"

Yikes! Sorry I’m behind if someone else raised this on subsequent pages, but may be interesting to map out when all of these changes occurred to the EULA. I wouldn’t be surprised if they just neglected to update 2.5 when they changed the upgrade definition to include add-ons. Sets up another “innocent mistake” claim. Or it could be that their decision to charge for add-on came after the EULA update and they forgot to go back and change it. Or they just got a little lazy.

But regardless, it says what it says

[slackhead]

If the next update feels light, like these devices were 'stripped out' then that is the next major potential tipping point.

This is now my big concern.
Hopefully they have a big update coming soon which will pull a lot of the doubters back. But if they have taken these devices away from the next proper update (which is what I very much suspect) then we will either see a very unimpressive 'core' update or will have much longer to wait. Neither will be good for healing the situation they've caused.
I really hope I'm wrong and they pull something out of the hat - I want to see Bitwig move forward as much as anyone.

[loungepanda]

I think it's simply a matter of trust. Bitwig have made a move which in many peoples eyes (mine included) have created a trust issue.

The sensible thing for them to do would be to issue an honest & open statement of some kind, humans to humans, and go from there.

If they remain silent I believe they will damage themselves in the long run.

"We're sorry for attempting to have more than one stream of revenue. We have made a very grave error and will of course not only make Spectral Suite available for free but also provide licenses for all coming addons to anyone with a ph.D. in armchair lawyering.
In the future all development roadmaps will be made public and have to be greenlit by KVR users before we proceed."

[perpetual3]

Sure - because people don’t love or value what the DAW brings. They don’t truly value its unique points. Or in other a it’s value proposition. I personally have used all but (modern) cubase, studio one, FL, and Reaper fairly well over my life. I personally plan on using more daws as well. But I also personally plan on continuing to use Bitwig because for me it’s incredibly unique and special. Bitwig can make a mistake, even a big one like this, and I still want them to succeed. Yeah I would have preferred if the suite was included in my upgrade. It wasn’t, I aired my disapproval, made my choice and moved on. Other people have made theirs. And from what I can see, they would rather the company die. And that shows how much they truly valued Bitwig in the first place - which is not a lot.

I’m talking about the cacophony of refusals to upgrade period. To switch daws. That’s killing Bitwig.

If anything's killing Bitwig, it's their own business practices, not upset users. This situation was created by Bitwig, not the user base.

I had made the decision to spend the $400 this coming week and buy into Bitwig after 20 years with Reaper. Between forums, Youtube, the website, and even the product manuals, I'd done enough research on Bitwig to understand the the arrangement (legal or tacit) that they had with their community, and fact is, they just rug-pulled all the goodwill they spent a decade building.

After watching them turn their back on their own user agreements, whether outright fraud or simply just downright deceptive, I'm staying put. I bet the folks working at Ableton are kicking back, sipping on champaign right now, just watching Bitwig commit seppuku.

This is the type of failure that you read about in university undergrad business school studies.

[pdxindy]

I’m talking about the cacophony of refusals to upgrade period. To switch daws. That’s killing Bitwig.

If anything's killing Bitwig, it's their own business practices, not upset users. This situation was created by Bitwig, not the user base.

Nobody knows if anything is killing Bitwig... that is just random speculation and various assumptions.

[perpetual3]

Let me be clear - IF there really is a mass refusal to upgrade that will substantially hurt Bitwig financially. Certainly the ill will has hurt perception of the company.

I’m talking about the cacophony of refusals to upgrade period. To switch daws. That’s killing Bitwig.

If anything's killing Bitwig, it's their own business practices, not upset users. This situation was created by Bitwig, not the user base.

Nobody knows if anything is killing Bitwig... that is just random speculation and various assumptions.

[billinder33]

If the next update feels light, like these devices were 'stripped out' then that is the next major potential tipping point.

Absolutely these devices came at the expense of unrealized features the user community wanted. In a small software company, there are only so much development resource to go around. All potential features are in competition for making it into the release cycle, and any feature that gets developed is at the expense of many other features that didn't make the cut for the upcoming release or product roadmap.

Bitwig users who've been paying that 'forward maintenance' have every right to be upset, IMO.

[ottsch]

They are part of the general code base and can be activated, they are not separate as of now. Only content and presets are handled through the package manager it seems to me.

We don’t know that. The add on could be tied to a minimum version of Bitwig. I asked them and we’ll see what they say.

Add ons are perpetual.

Updates to add ons are not. They cost 170 bucks.

[tempsperdu]

Sure - because people don’t love or value what the DAW brings. They don’t truly value its unique points. Or in other a it’s value proposition.

They do, which is why they are so upset. Most have said they will continue to use it, they just won't blindly part with cash 'on faith' any more because that faith has been destroyed.....

[billinder33]

I’m talking about the cacophony of refusals to upgrade period. To switch daws. That’s killing Bitwig.

If anything's killing Bitwig, it's their own business practices, not upset users. This situation was created by Bitwig, not the user base.

Nobody knows if anything is killing Bitwig... that is just random speculation and various assumptions.

So you are theorizing that this is either a positive or best case a net neutral financial event?

Seems unlikely.

[tempsperdu]

Let me be clear - IF there really is a mass refusal to upgrade that will substantially hurt Bitwig financially. Certainly the ill will has hurt perception of the company.

And that is Bitwig's doing...the users didn't request this, nor can they fix it.

[ChamomileShark]

I don't want to see them crash and burn but if this was done to improve their financial situation I think it may back fire.

Bitwig is my second DAW and the uncertainty created around what the update plan will turn out to be in future would make me hesitate regarding buying a further update plan. I suspect alot of people will do the same, sit tight and wait. But that means the company loses $170 from perhaps a larger number of customers than would have bought the add ons at $79.

Maybe this is a very short term financial blip but I suspect not as somebody must have been working for some time on these devices. Unless of course they were originally intended for Bitwig 4.4 or even 5. But that scenario is even more worrying because it implies them basically going into financial emergency mode.

I don't know and I don't think any of us know. Speculation exercises like mine above don't get us any further forward, but it certainly makes me just want to hold off any further investment in Bitwig.