“New Features” by Steinberg = users “Feature Requests and Suggestions” ?
0 voters
Thoughts, after Cubase 8.5 “upgrade”…
What are your feelings ?
Is “New Features” philosophy by Steinberg really based on users “Feature Requests and Suggestions” ?
I voted “No”. Not saying that no new features suggested by users are incorporated but is does seem like their philosophy is not driven by the users suggestions.
Regards 
I am sure that they try to incorporate suggestions that are feasible to implement. I am also sure that some of the requests are put on the carrot wagon for the future. It’s an inevitable cycle with an actual finite product.
Look at Microsoft Office, it’s been a new version every few years, but largely the applications in the suite have stayed the same, Word, Excel, etc. cannot be changed too much until there is a breaking moment (e.g. 365) when things are forced into fundamental changes.
Cubase is basically the same as it was a few versions ago, cosmetic changes, some other changes, but the same restriction on change as with Office, until something entirely new can be fathomed, that’s the cycle.
It takes an entirely new product to change a paradigm. E.g. VST3 which are a no go for some companies, whatever the reason. Do we, the customer want it? Well, I do, some don’t care and some don’t want it. Steinberg still went ahead with it. Ballsy!
The bottom line is always revenue and growth. That’s it. From a consumer perspective, how long can they keep carving that tool? It’s amazing that software does not follow the concept of hardware tools, when the vendors want to treat the software as a hardware composer with connected synthesizers using licenses. 
Come on guys! one click only and soon we’ll see the whole picture
Maybe Steinberg see it also…
Several features -I- have requested showed up in 8.5. So they listen to me, Me, ME!
Back on planet earth… it’s easy to think that they ‘listen’ simply because so many suggestions are DROP DEAD OBVIOUS. And so many others are based on MASS HOWLS AND SCREAMS (eg. Static Controls).
So… yes, they do listen. But from a very great distance.
If I had one complaint (and I have many) about Steinberg, it is this:
THEY ARE INVISIBLE TO THEIR USERS
And they didn’t used to be. At some point (around the SX3 debacle), they shut off all communication with their users. No more ‘chats’ from Charlie or Lars or -whoever-. But that was so long ago now that most users probably think the way things are -now- is the way things have always been.
They decided (probably for their mental health) that it was better to hide. I disagree strenuously.
you lucky man
Well… not exactly. Please read the rest of my post. Some of my requests took 10 years. And dozens more DROP DEAD OBVIOUS requests remain, whilst hundreds of STUPID FLUFF get piled on like marzipan every year.
If you search for all my ‘Annual Requests’ it’s not like I rang for room service and… LA VOILA! HERE IS YOUR CAVIAR!
Would like to see an interactive chat once a year.
We all shouldn’t pay them for upgrades and maybe then something will change. But it is impossible unfortunately.
I don’t get it, you either like the upgrade and pay €49,00
Or if there is nothing in there for you, you keep it in your pocket.
I’m tired of people positioning this as some kind of forced mandatory update.
It’s a voluntary offer ffs. Either you find value in it, or you don’t. Both choices are FINE!
I’m tired of people positioning this as some kind of forced mandatory update.
I get what you are saying, but at the same time it is not always as straight forward as this.
Example: For years now many have asked for the ability to be able to change track timebase for multiple tracks at the same time, and in 8.5 it is here. How many of those people who wanted this feature are going to be able to resist the upgrade. I agree nobody is ‘forcing’ us to upgrade but when something that has been wanted for so long arrives it is hard to resist. That feature could easily have been included with the arrival of the Project Logical Editor, but for whatever reason it has not appeared until now.
Take VST expression maps not recalling correctly with the re-enabling of disabled tracks. Steinberg have officially said it would be fixed for V8, but it has not and now V8.5 is out. How many take a punt on upgrades in the hope that some long term fixes were included?
I agree with that, but I do seperate the 2.
For me bugs should be fixed with patches/servicepacks/free updates
And added functionallity should be sold in new versions
The way Steinberg deals with this is that they add functionallity in 2 stages, a .5 version and a new major release
Bug fixes stay in sync between .0 and .5 versions. This version does not fix any bugs, it might introduce a different approach to certain things but it’s not fixing stuff under the hood. The next 8.x.4 will probably do that.
0.5 versions have never been about making people pay for bugfixes, they have been around upselling “add-ons / improvements” which have become available along the way. The user can decide if they are worthwhile €49,00
Now people are moaning SB makes them pay for “bug fixes” (again it are not fixes, it are different takes on things) sort of skewing their thinking they should have had it for free.
Wait for the 8.x.4 release for bugfixes, it will be free.
What’s left then, is a discussing whether the balance of development time is the right one between “fixes” and “features”
I can certainly appreciate the POV that one should get their house in order first, before trying to upsell more stuff.
It’s nothing new in the industry, Intel has it’ “tick/tock” Apple has it’s “s” version of each cycle of it’s phones
All improved functionallity, just not enough to market it as a next MAJOR generation product.
totally get this but Steinberg do not seem to be doing this as effectively as perhaps they could with some slightly different approach
I agree with that, but I do seperate the 2.
For me bugs should be fixed with patches/servicepacks/free updates
And added functionallity should be sold in new versions
This would be totally cool apart from too often it seems to be a topsy turvy situation.
Yes bugs should be fixed with patches/servicepacks/free updates.But in the most recent case of paid for 8.5 upgrade I will wait to see if some major things will be resolved with the next 8.03 update as well as the same fixes for 8.5 so those things are working correctly in both. I believe the next V8 update is arriving later this month (but obviously no date for the first 8.5 update). IMO this puts Steinberg in a difficult spot becuase to keep 8.5 ahead of 8 then the same fixes need to be available for both at the same time. Get what I’m saying?
If the same fixes are fixed for V8.03 and not for 8.5 then this is a very backwards and illogical.
But as it stands the desired fixes for longstanding bugs have not been addressed in 8.03 or 8.5 build 69.
I think the Intel Tick/Tock comparison is fine in principal but that is hardware, and with hardware comes separate software drivers, as are the Apple phones so it is not quite the same thing as software alone IMO.
So I will wait patiently as usual until the outcome. Which will get the fixes first 8.03 or 8.5?
An iPhone is a gadget or a fashion thingy. Cubase is supposed to be professional audio software for people businessus. With focus on an early december release date of a paid upgrade it more looks like SB is aiming on hobbiest and enthouisiast buying the product for under the christmas tree. They also all scream that the product is fantastic, because what do they know about VCA, macros, visibility or VEP5?
I think there would be less discussion when SB had released their bug fixes before 8.5. Maybe we also still had the feeling CB is a professional piece of software…
Again, 8.5 is not a bug fix release, let’s wait to see what 8.x.4 brings.
!!!PLEASE READ Before you vote!!!
Polls like these are a good marketing a measure to gauge the release but please consider the following.
I am currently part of the BETA Team for Steinberg and I can confirm that Steinberg takes feature requests very seriously and does their best to implicate as many features as possible while fixing as many bugs as possible. Every new feature goes through a rigorous testing process with us beta testers and the developer. You guys really have no idea how many bug fixes, feature requests and small gui tweaks that the dev team has to do before you guys see a public version of the software.
Steinberg just hosted a meeting with a massive group of us beta tests and power users here is Santa Monica, CA. We complied a pretty comprehensive list of features/bugs and reiterated ones that have been very long standing requests (aka. Quicktime export).
I have used almost every DAW and can tell you that Apple, LIVE, AVID, etc etc, do not take as much time listening to their users. This is very evident in the constant updates Cubase gets each year compared to it’s competitors.
So please consider this before voting that Steinberg does or does not listen to your requests.
Can you give us some examples from this list, let’s say five major features/bugs? 
Steinberg just hosted a meeting with a massive group of us beta tests and power users here is Santa Monica, CA. We complied a pretty comprehensive list of features/bugs and reiterated ones that have been very long standing requests (aka. Quicktime export).
now you’ve done it, too many distractions in Santa Monica to get effective meetings and beta testing done, people are gonna come down on you hard for telling the meeting took place in LA LA land… It’s nice out there:-) need to get out again.
wind of change ?
How did those edge menus get by beta testers with no complaints? Also They should do public beta testing for anyone who wants to try it like Microsoft does with Windows not just a select elite few of their friends.