Introducing the new SONAR: New lineup, new features, plus membership

[Sassafrass]

So if someone buys Sonar agreeing to pay monthly, and then doesn't pay...Cakewalk is unethical?

That's not what I said.

What I said is that their plan is not designed in the best interest of the customer regardless of how many times they try to convince us of that.

If it was in the best interest of the customer, you'd be able to suspend your account if finances got tight and put your subscription on hold. In exchange, your copy of Sonar would revert back to demo mode, same as if you didn't complete the 12 month period. It would reactivate when you started paying again and you could continue your subscription.

At the moment though, it looks like if you stop paying, you lose your place in your subscription and when you can afford to start paying again, you start all over at the beginning of the 12 month period.

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but at the moment it looks like that's what the plan is. If so, it should make us even more wary and distrustful of Cakewalk.


Sass

Or, teach you how to pay your bills...

Please don't feed the troll (Or Sass as he is calling himself).

Joined the forum five minutes ago and has jumped headfirst into the fray.

Bizarre argument indeed. Sass, the other guy was chastised by a mod. You sure you wanna pick up this torch? Just sayin'.

Not a troll. Just someone with an opinion. I haven't insulted anyone. I'm just pointing out that Cakewalk seems to be trying to present this subscription as if they're doing us a favor. They're not. That's all. Sorry if I came off like a troll.

[hibidy]

I didn't use the troll word, that's flugel's thing (anyone who attacks cakewalk)

What I was saying was that there are a bunch of people that have recently signed up just to stir things up. If you are not one of them, then you have my humble apology. FWIW, I'm not into cake or this policy. Still, I think it's interesting to keep up on it because I have a feeling this could move to other products that WOULD effect me.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

nvm

[hibidy]

Sometimes I wonder how much of a "fear factor" comes into play here. Frankly, I don't see as much of an inherent issue with "subscription" as some. I don't really like it, but sometimes I wonder if more is being read into it than needs to.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

nvm

[Burillo]

i'd already decided to let it go

however, there was really no morphing. it was just a development on previous points, and not unconnected

they're connected how? how does being entitled to bugfixes connect to financing? they may very well seem to be connected somewhere inside your head, but that doesn't mean they really are. you have to justify how one connects to the other. merely stating it doesn't make it so. right now you're just jumping back and forth between these two arguments whenever it suits you.

and you still haven't answered what do you think should happen when the user doesn't finish the subscription, provided that doing away with the subscription model altogether doesn't enter the conversation.

even if separating bugfixes from features were possible, how do you envision that working? Let's say you have Sonar 8.5, and you purchased subscription and on month 4 they fixed a long-standing bug. what do you keep? you still have your Sonar 8.5 - that you own, but that doesn't have the bugfix, because it's not the version for which the bugfix was released. you also have a (now demo) version of the new Sonar, for which you "own" the bugfix, but how do you propose you keep the bugfix if you don't get to own the new Sonar itself?

[sonicpowa]

So if someone buys Sonar agreeing to pay monthly, and then doesn't pay...Cakewalk is unethical?

If it was in the best interest of the customer, you'd be able to suspend your account if finances got tight and put your subscription on hold. In exchange, your copy of Sonar would revert back to demo mode, same as if you didn't complete the 12 month period. It would reactivate when you started paying again and you could continue your subscription.

At the moment though, it looks like if you stop paying, you lose your place in your subscription and when you can afford to start paying again, you start all over at the beginning of the 12 month period.

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but at the moment it looks like that's what the plan is. If so, it should make us even more wary and distrustful of Cakewalk.


Sass

Cakewalk is now offering a convenient payment option along with the old one and they are now the bad guys?
Your "I will pay when I want" model would cost them extra money, you know. And you do understand that they are a software company, not a bank. If you are in doubt that you are able to pay during that 12-month subscription, you can take a loan from the bank for it and negotiate what ever monthly terms you want with the bank.

[Kraznet]

I have Sonar X3 but there are a few things I don't like about it which will stop me from upgrading unless they get them sorted.

1 - No mouse will support on Pro channel to adjust values.
2 - No midi merge overdub recording - huh?? Cubase has had this since the Atari days.
3 - No audition of midi notes when a keyboard shortcut is assigned to transpose up/down - Cubase has this. Studio One has this. Samplitude has this. Logic Pro X has this.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

i'd already decided to let it go

however, there was really no morphing. it was just a development on previous points, and not unconnected

they're connected how? how does being entitled to bugfixes connect to financing? they may very well seem to be connected somewhere inside your head, but that doesn't mean they really are. you have to justify how one connects to the other. merely stating it doesn't make it so. right now you're just jumping back and forth between these two arguments whenever it suits you.

and you still haven't answered what do you think should happen when the user doesn't finish the subscription, provided that doing away with the subscription model altogether doesn't enter the conversation.

even if separating bugfixes from features were possible, how do you envision that working? Let's say you have Sonar 8.5, and you purchased subscription and on month 4 they fixed a long-standing bug. what do you keep? you still have your Sonar 8.5 - that you own, but that doesn't have the bugfix, because it's not the version for which the bugfix was released. you also have a (now demo) version of the new Sonar, for which you "own" the bugfix, but how do you propose you keep the bugfix if you don't get to own the new Sonar itself?

if you are really interested, then 'pm' me. i am not risking getting banned for my opinion in this matter

[flugel45]

I didn't use the troll word, that's flugel's thing (anyone who attacks cakewalk)

Wow, talk about backpedalling. You agreed with me, then when you're confronted, throw me under the bus. Thanks.

And I have no problem with general attacks against CW/Sonar. What I find sad - and this includes you hibidy - are the ones who have a chip on their shoulder from versions past, and use every opportunity to jump into any CW thread to denounce/inflame whatever is being said -- and whoever who calls you on it.

BTW, I've used the word "troll" exactly once (last post) in my entire forum history. So how exactly is it "my thing"?

[Burillo]

if you are really interested, then 'pm' me. i am not risking getting banned for my opinion in this matter

stating your opinion isn't a bannable offense as far as i know. it's a simple question, really. i can't understand why is it so hard to provide an answer, if your opinion is really based on something grounded in reality.

[sonicpowa]

@el-bo, I think your bugfix model would be good, but it´s impossible. I´m not sure if you are seeing the big picture: Cakewalk would have to re-think and change their systems and hire a lot of people to rewrite probably the whole Sonar to work the way you describe..
So you would have to wait years for the Sonar to be rewritten and it wouldn´t be backwards compatible anyway. Everybody would then pay double or triple for Sonar.

[whyterabbyt]

BTW, I've used the word "troll" exactly once (last post) in my entire forum history. So how exactly is it "my thing"?

which is ironic cos his forum history has 9 pages of it.

[Gonga]

Financiers love subscription models, because they result in higheruser costs = revenues. If you look at current subscription models such as Microsoft's or Adobe's, then it becomes apparent that once your subscription runs out, major functionality of the software, as well as updates obviously, cease. Cakewalk may or may no be headed in that direction, but I too regard the subscription model as only a bad rather than a good thing. I'm not sure...what are the benefits?

At some point, there may be additional positives, such as MS offering 1TB free OneDrive storage for all Office subscriptions, but it's hard to imagine how the subscription model would be of any benefit except to Cakewalk - to raise the cost and therefore the revenue.

[arkmabat]

Sonar is one of the few with DX instrument and effect support still implemented, no?