Can't load 3.0 project? No midi support? Can't burn CD? bummer ...

Question

I have used this product and every upgrade since CoolEdit (before Pro). I would consider myself one of the faithful.
I don't want to downplay the significant enhancements to Audition. Increased performance of the product (speed and reliablilty) was/is a prime desire for me. I have awaited this product release for years. When ProTools (no hardware specific version) came out (I use 3 Presonus Firepods for multitrack recording and input Alesis HD24 projects for Live recording), I considered switching, but held off because this release was promised.
I don't want to spit sour grapes. There are some significant enhancements in this release. All the performance stuff "would" make me very happy. I have a 8 processor CPU and 12 GB of memory, and want it used. Watching 5.5 immediately come up after clicking the shortcut without hesititation was gratifying by itself.
But ...
1. I anxiously awaited an update to AA3 anticipating midi support, finally. I've very dissappoited it is not developed into this release.
2. Lack of ability to open my 3.0 projects with 5.5 is a HUGE turnoff and frustration for me. I can't imagine why Adove would consider it optional that the software open projects people have or are currently working on.
3. No longer burning an audio CD from my project is also a huge disappointment. I almost NEVER use anything else to burn my audio other than AA3.
4. Pitch Correction is gone? Don't use it a lot, but when I need it, I NEED it!
5. All the Scientific Analysis tools not all there? This is a HUGE loss. This was one thing that put AA above everybody else. You neglected a huge asset here.
I applaud the huge effort to bring a much-needed update of AA to the market ... it has long been coming. I am a software/db developer and have an appreciate for tremendous effort involved here. But, as a user, I am moderately to severely impacted by the shortcomings listed above. I am afraid what else I might discover. Right now, I am glad AA3 is sitll running on my PC.
Thank you for your hard work. And I bought it. But, my workflow will be severely crippled until you correct these issues in a future release.

Answer 1

The performance fixes is a biggy for me, though the other missing
stuff I use makes me have to use both versions for various things:
"but they seem to be committed to another release/version."
Well ... now that's the rub. I would actually welcome this intermediate version to play with (even with the cost of upgrading) if I could rely on it to be finalized into 6.0, full featured, without it taking as long as it has to Upgrade from AA3.0. I would say it was a VERY smart move to give us a preview of 6.0, if I felt in, say, six months they would provide us the fully functional update. But, HOW many years has it been. I felt screwed over while they played around with Sound Booth.
I was with you for a minute in most of what you said, until your credibility went down a couple notches with me on the statement trivializing midi functionality. I though that was a very clueless statement:
"but I have no need for a midi controller and if I want a drummer to keep perfect time I'll get a drum machine."
It does make some of your other statements suspect, tho I won't take it as far as therealdobro's "what's your stake" question.