DO NOT BUY THIS PROGRAM, IF YOU'RE THINKING YOUR YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION WILL GIVE YOU A PROGRAM, THAT YOU CAN USE AFTER THE SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRES!
The Steam Store Page stated that you can use the program past it's expiration date, but failed to mention any possible limitations in regard to this subject. There are likely severe consequences when a Sonar Yearly Subscription expires however.
I have asked (Cakewalk and Valve) if you can use Sonar Professional yearly subscription (and/or download it), post expiration date, when any of the following happen:
1. You re-install Windows
2. You re-install Steam
3. You change or upgrade to a separate machine.
I emailed Cakewalk this query and Cakewalk refused to answer the question (via Cakewalk's Support Dept). They directed me to ask Valve instead (via Steam Support). I proceeded and submitted the question with Steam Support. The question remained unanswered for several weeks. Today, I discovered the question deleted, as well as any record of it, from my Steam Support Account. I lodged the question again, but the automated Steam Support service redirected me to Cakewalk's website, for an answer and no other options were available. This is a straight forward and simple question left unanswered. When you have two companies to deal with, it shows what will happen, when you have a problem...any problem! Both parties will pass the buck. Can you imagine the rubbish you'll go through, if you have an issue that is tough to solve? It's only a matter of time of course, when a challenging problem doe4s present itself.
I asked the same question in Steam's Sonar Forums. Cakewalk are often very quick to answer customer's threads in these forums, but are still yet to answer my topic. I think that lack of response is actually an answer. An answer that is disrespectful as well as inherently undesirable.
I'm liking the look of Steinberg's Cubase Pro 8 now, for numerous reasons. It's reputation for quality is highly rated. Cubase is not a subscription program either and has nothing to do with Steam. You benefit because you deal with one company. The question of future use, is answered before it's even asked as well. You buy it, you own it and you get to use it indefinitely! Sonar is a poor imitation.
As far as regrets go, on Steam Purchases, this is number 1 and will unlikely be surpassed (god help me if it is)! Don't make the mistake of buying this trash, which has poor tutorial support, poor quality plugins, overpriced, limited future use and likely misleading sales claims.