I've actually used the old Cakewalk software before on outdated high-school computers. It's what got me into music tracking with Impulse Tracker. (Something I really need to get going on my website sooner or later.)

I did eventually pick up Cakewalk Express for $20 and it came with MIDI cables too, which themselves alone probably would've cost that much, so my guess is that the Cakewalk Demo pack is either what they used to call the express version of their software, or it may simply be a demonstration of the program in action rather than usable software. That's just a guess though.

You should just fire off an eMail to the Cakewalk developers and simply ask them what it was. You may be surprised. ;)

The only demo i'm aware of is the CAKE5DMO.ZIP which i've posted on VOGONS before. It's for DOS and it can not save MIDI files.

Thanks for the info, folks 😀

I have several installs of CW Express that came with my various sound cards throughout the years, and unlike the CW demo versions, they can save and print. Funny thing, none of the MIDI cables that I've bought from Creative throughout the years (three of them) came with any software at all.

Update: After digging around the Internet for a while I happened to stumple upon a demo of CW Pro for Windows ( http://midiweb.zwarts.ws/files/utils/cakedemo.zip , from this page -> http://midiweb.zwarts.ws/files/utilities.shtml ). It's version 3.0, and can do everything that the retail version can, short of saving and printing (and doesn't include TTS's multiport MIDI driver, or the "Virtual Piano"). I have a hunch that this must have been what that magazine ad was refering to.

Man, I'd sure like to get my hands on the retail version of the old CW for DOS (preferably version 5.0) simply for historical purposes 😀 I'm surprised that it's so impossible to find the install on the Internet, as TTS gave the go-ahead for Quest Studios to post the install for the retail version of CWP3 for Windows on their web site quite a few years ago ( http://www.queststudios.com/roland/utilities/cakewalk3.zip , from this page -> http://www.queststudios.com/roland/utilities.html ).

Anyhow, I've been a happy CWPro user since version 1.03 way back in '92, and still use CWP3 even today... (re: CWP3) best damn MIDI sequencer ever... period 😀

(edit) P.S. For anyone interested in the http://www.queststudios.com/roland/utilities/cakewalk3.zip file, another file that you might find handy -> ftp://ftp.cakewalk.com/Documentation/CW_Profe … ssional8PDF.zip . That's the user's guide for CWP Audio v8.0, and a lot of the info in that guide also pertains to CWP3. The biggest difference is that TTS (in their "infinite wisdom") removed the EXTREMELY handy "Faders" view for that newer version, and replaced it with another "sliders" sort of view (which is total CRAP IMO). Hence, the CWPA8 user's guide doesn't cover the older "Faders" view from CWP3 (although, most of the other info in that guide is still useful).