Yeah - when Cakewalk initially pushed out their subscription feature, I wasn't sold that there would be consistent updates or updates that I cared about. After 1 year of proving themselves, I was much more open to the idea, I just wan't spending any time in my studio. When they opened up a "Sonar for Life" update special (free updates to the core product "forever), I couldn't resist and went for it.

One of the things I really like NOW about this is that they have a roadmap website showing all of the things they've added over the last 18 months since they started doing this as well as a new section of what's coming up this year (which they will have more to add if history is any indicator).

Check out this page to see "how it's done": http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SON...-Updates#start

I want this sort of assurance.

I understand that it's the same $99 to upgrade to this new version as it was last time and it already has updates in it, but if you are going to sell me on a model, I'd like to know that it's not stuff like "look at these new emojis" or "another base website template included in your subscription. I want new effects, libraries of brushes, new vector shapes, etc.

Again - don't get me wrong here: I like some of these models. The Office 365 model works very well for most of the IT business support we do (and for my own business). It's more cost effective, period. I like the Cakewalk model as well, since they have proven that they are going to actually provide very useful and valuable updates.