Thanks for all your best wishes and comments!
Let me briefly try to answer some questions:
* DP future
There will only be one package in the future, the complete SDK. One major reason for resticting avail of DP and SDK in the past was that we were not able or willing to provide (complex) support for these tools. We are now looking at a much more permissive circulation of the SDK but on a clear "as is", "use at your own risk" and "no support" basis. It would surely be great to see a community develop where users can obtain help, hints. and ideas. In short - we want to do a much better job with 3rd parties than we have done so far.
* SFP future
No question that we plan to develop the platform further. Same goes for Noah. There are many ideas both re: a possible SFP 4.0 as well as for plugins. We will just need some time to get organized, it is still much too early to make any specific announcements. Anyway, please do not expect any miracles - we won't have a staff count as we had before.
* PCI-X
PCI-X is surely not too far off-topic
But then again - why not replace PCI-X by FireWire/USB2? Would be very interesting to hear your opinions. Please note that all this is not "near future" but "still some way down the road".
* Mac Development
While SFP for OS-X is in a relatively advanced state it is on hold at this time. Today, Noah runs under OS-X very well and we are carefully watching Noahs success in the Mac domain. Later we will need to decide upon SFP for OS-X once again. I'm sorry I don't have any better news for you lore. This does not mean we will never ever go OS-X but it does not seem like a hgh priority at the moment.
*"Does this mean that development was frozen during the period of insolvency?"
Well, first we still did a good deal of development but since October things were indeed very slow.
*two MDs?
Yep, two directors
*Does the new name mean a new direction or emphasis?
It is not meant to. Structures will be different, but not our target markets.
* Is there a CW broadcast branch?
No seperate company, this is part of CWA
* More emulated synths? More effects? Or perhaps encouraging a much-increased third-party effort?
All of it.
* Or even revisiting the audio-processing end with a new TripleDAT or similar ?
How did you know? There will be a new generation of CUTmaster XP (broadcast oriented) soon with x-grade options for tripleDAT users.
* How many cents in the dollar did creditors receive?
This will up to the administrator to determine and this may still take a long time.
* Did staff lose entitlements?
Yes everyone still has entitlements for Nov 2003 but these will propably be paid by the administrator at a high quota later this year.
* how will u handle the frustration that has occured from some developers/musicians/distributors
Work hard on restoring confidence. The past nine months in fact the administrator controlled the company and its cashflow. As we can now work without the administrator, I am sure many things will again get much more efficient, deterministic and reliable.
* please dont do a rerun of the last feew years, frank
u bet we will not
* But the fact is that SFP is so amazing that it simply can no longer go unnoticed.
Marketing SFP is extremely hard as we found again and again. It is not mainstream and it follows a rather complex idea. It requires experience (problem awareness) to really be understood. Try to explain SFP in your simplest words to the average Guitar Center employee - he will have no clue what you are talking about. Just by what it IS it has a niche profile. Try to build a US marketing campaign ("short attention span" compatible) on this basis - good luck! Ideas and help are much appreciated, really....
* put a lot of effort on the noah. that machine is so promising.
We are considering that
* Will finally XTC and normal mode be merged for flexiple routing also in VST mode
I am afraid that such "black hole of functionality" would massively scare off the average VST user. While our channels are asking for "simplicity". What do you think? I am not arguing the technical usefulness of such implementation, you see.
* "PlanetZ - I mean, where would we all be without it?"
SO TRUE
Please - keep in mind that CWA is just a few hours old. Things you would usually take for granted may not yet be in place. Many things still have to be set up, some of which will take us months, not days or weeks. I need to ask you for your continued patience and understanding.
Thanks for your participation in this terrific community!
Frank
PS: The ones who may wonder why I did not appear in CW's own forum yet - I could simply not gain access so far, I must have changed my password and locked myself out <blush>. I can read but not write the forum. This will surely be "fixed" on Monday, can someone please post my regards to the CW forum and ask them to read PlanetZ until I was able to log on our CW forum?
