Of course, I cannot know, only speculate…
I don’t think there is anything about the protocol itself to the dislike. Perhaps it’s more that some of the vendors do not see the “music world” as Steinberg does, or they just don’t agree with the path that Steinberg is taking. Or perhaps they see a HUGE change in their software…
Note Expression is bound to show people that there are new things invented, ways to do it, and still have the old things hanging about. However, nothing can be implemented, software wise, without a little bit of effort. Like said before in this thread, when coding a VST3 plug, you get VST2.4 and AU plugs “for free” so to speak, no special code needed.
As you undoubtadly have seen, there is a number of people out there that downright is trying to trivialize VST3 with a bunch of garble. That it doesn’t give you anything new, etc. That VST2.4 COULD have been made to do what VST3 does, etc. Of course it could have, but that does not make it any less to code for. You still have to add the code to deal with new “feature”, unless your point is to not support them.
I personally like the whine about “we need an open standard” (or “open source”, in some instances). Here’s a Q&A from the FAQ in the VST Technical Background document: “Is VST still an open and free standard? Yes. VST is still an open and free standard.”. The SDK can be downloaded for free.
I have read from several VST3 vendors and they have all said that it really isn’t that much of a change to accomodate VST3. Naturally, some change is needed, but more or less, depending on how modular your plug already was.
In perspective, one has to remember that the interface between plug-in and host is really not that advanced, software speaking. What I mean here, is that the VST protocol in itself is really very simplistic in nature. The actual code that make the specific plug or host is of course much more advanced, but in order for them to work together, the scheme has to be made rather simple.
On a comparison note (albeit digressing a bit), if you know about or understand COM, you can see why this is true. COM is very simple, and has been used virtually everywhere in Windows since the early-mid 1990. (I picked COM, because I was involved with it early on, but there are other similar technologies.) If you have liked the easiness of copying data from A to B, say editing your email in Office Word then sending it through Office Outlook, or even between different computers, then you like the concept of COM. 
Component Object Model - Wikipedia (For interested people.)
There are of course other things than the plug-ins themselves to be considered, here’s an excerpt from the VST3 SDK announcement “Optional SKI Integration: Combined with the use of the additional Steinberg Kernel Interface (SKI), VST3 plug-ins can integrate directly into Steinberg host software at application level, enabling VST3 plug-ins to create tracks, perform copy/cut/paste tasks and many other operations”, and as some site added “SKI is provided to selected industry partners upon request”.
So back on track then…
I think a lot of the unwillingness is partially due to the fact that the protocol fundamentally changed, and is cause for uncertainty and the fact of being forced to update their software. But ultimately I think somewhere we are seeing some sort of a “stand”, by some of the vendors. You can see which ones are against VST3, and whatever reasons they may give. I am not sure exactly where this “anti” comes from, TBH. VST3 is a step forward, even if many will try and tell you otherwise. Steiny aren’t a bunch of dummies you know.
That is another thing I like about the “opposition”, they are defending VST2.4, but cutting VST3, saying that Steinberg always “screw people with just arbitrarily changing things”, “selling vaporware and new terms”, “repackaging old with new names”, etc. just to make more money. Yet all VST versions were invented by Steinberg.
AND incidentally, some of these opposing companies do sell plug-ins, and a slur of matching “expansions” or sound sets with fancy names, for 50 bucks a pop. I am not saying they are bad, at all, just that they seem more interesting in their shop and selling, than in the satisfaction of the customer. And when Steiny creates a new cool technology (e.g. Note Expression), that require these plugs to be updated, so they can take advantage of it, and there is absolutley no interest, but rather distincly the opposite. So much for their slander of Steinberg.
Anyways, just my venting, oh I meant speculating… lol
u-he.com’s Zebra VST3/64-bit is coming… A STRIPED STAMPEDE!
Good one. You forgot Cubase Essential, LE5 and S1 Artist. Thanks, that gave me a good chuckle.
But thanks for the info. FLStudio is a good one, great host.
Please! Joke’s over … because it is a joke, right? 
