I have to ask again, though I am sure I will get an earful. Why do you all hate Pro Tools so much? Only because it costs 600 bucks, or something functionally? I mean, geeze, how much money to you get to keep when you die? I have never seen a funeral procession yet with a U-Haul hitched to the hearse. It may be my unique perspective, but I plan to die with 20 bucks in my pocket. I am far from wealthy, but I am going to have every toy I want, the latest being the RV I have yet to use. I am not leaving anything to anybody in my will. A dog shelter gets whatever comes from my estate sale, but there won't be much estate when my house is gone.

Pro Tools is beautiful. I understand that there are cheaper options that you think do "the same thing". Well, by that logic, Real Band does "the same thing". Kinda sorta. There are also fake diamonds that are cheap but look almost real. Try slipping one of those onto your wife's finger when you ask her to marry you!! (It doesn't work. Don't ask how I know.) I don't always use Pro Tools, but I have it when I want to. The MIDI implementation is great. The subgroup busing is simple, graphic and painless.

I know people hate me when and because I ask these kinds of questions, but man, if you want to golf, shoot, do woodworking ... whatever your hobby is, why not buy the best equipment instead of the cheapest? It's so often the same people who buy $50 DAWs that brag about their $10000 1957 Les Paul. Nobody here is a pauper, are they? I know a drummer who spent $4000 for a snare drum yet can't keep his old car running.

It just gets old seeing "because it's what I always used." Include a picture of your horse and buggy and your ice box with your reply....

Obviously we live in free America and do what you want, but I just don't get this product loyalty that the possibility that Cakewalk was going to disappear should cause this kind of angst. It's just middle tier software, easily replaced.

I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.

1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.