Could someone please explain the Linux-audio obsessination?

[Phil_Fee]

Thanks Dave Phillips - very comprehensive reply. I will try to follow up some of those sources and those mentioned by FishB8.

Regards,
Phil

[mrc]

I haven't yet had time to set up my new drive, but the important thing here is that linux is closing in on what holds a lot of vst people back, losing the investment in vsti's and effects that have. Something that would lock to fxteleport via lan seems like a fast down and dirty way to allow that base to switch. Rewire support with it would allow using rewire programs via fxteleport, as well. Allowing the vst base to tie windows based investments to linux assets would move a lot of people real quick.
The great thing to me is that Linux audio is progressing so fast. I'm one of the old cubase users, going back to 3.5 and to 3.0 on cake. Started on early Dos, so using a command line os is not a scary thing, hehehe. Is there a recommended book or site that distills all these various versions of linux mentioned here? I don't have enough knowledge about linux itself to waste anyone's time asking questions on line, but none of the sites I've visited so far seem to offer a coherent overview. It sounds like you kind of roll your own, did that in the 60's, too
This continues to be a great thread.
Thanks,
mrc

[FishB8]

Is there a recommended book or site that distills all these various versions of linux mentioned here?

http://www.distrowatch.com

[dlphillips]

[quote="mrc"]Is there a recommended book or site that distills all these various versions of linux mentioned here?...
Thanks,
mrc[/quote]

Please, everyone: Don't bother doing the Linux distribution tango. Install either Planet CCRMA or AGNULA/Demudi and be done with it. These are *complete* systems, and with AGNULA/Demudi it's an 'out-of-the-box' solution (no mucking about with the kernel, no manually installing ALSA and JACK). I fear that many musicians who wander into Linux wind up discovering that patching the kernel, installing ALSA and JACK, and configuring the whole shebang is just a complete pain in the butt and a serious waste of their time. Yes, there are similar packages available for Mandrake and SlackWare systems, but I'll be blunt here: I've yet to meet a self-styled Windows "power user" who handled the transition to Linux without a major self-reevaluation of just what constitutes being a "power user", so you might as well make it as easy as possible for yourself and go with A/Demudi or Planet C.

Btw, since starting with Linux in 1995 I've used SlackWare, Mandrake, Debian, and Red Hat. The functional differences between distros are perhaps negligible, but when you're learning the system you should take the least resistant path. You can always switch distros later if the urge hits you.

I've lost track of the number of computer "wizzes" who were completely baffled by Linux, and they often end up blaming the complexity of the system instead of their own ignorance. Linux is indeed an extremely powerful and wonderful system, but like all powerful things it requires some willingness to learn how to handle it. Modern Linux distros are easier than ever to install and configure, but setting up a Linux audio/music system is a few steps beyond that stage, and the process is still tricky. Let the experts do that work for you: install A/Demudi or Planet C.

OTOH, if you've already installed Mandrake or SlackWare, be sure to check out Thac's packages at http://rpm.nyvalls.se/ or Luke Yelavich's AudioSlack at http://www.audioslack.com/. They have what you need to turn your system into a screaming Linux music machine. SuSE (http://www.novell.com/de-de/linux/suse/) is also an excellent system, but I confess ignorance regarding its out-of-the-box audio support. I do know that some of the finest Linux audio minds work for the company so I expect it to be a solid contender. (Some of the top ALSA people work for SuSE).

These are my opinions. I don't work for Red Hat or AGNULA. I'm self-employed, and I'm 100% Linux-based. My desktop machine currently runs Planet C and Demudi. My laptop runs Planet C Red Hat 9, but I'm planning to switch it to Demudi soon.

http://ccrma.stanford.edu/planetccrma/software/

http://www.agnula.org/

Best regards,

Dave Phillips

[mrc]

Thanks again! Like Hogans' Schwartzey, I know nothing
mrc

[antilog]

Hi all,

Would someone kindly explain the linux/audio obsessination that I keep meeting?

Everyone I've met in the real world who was interested in this was on the lower level of the experience level, with both computers and audio and seemed to be relating things they 'had heard' rather than any genuine understanding. They would suggest benefits like 'stability' and 'open source software' that didn't really fly. These were also people who thought that Protools was the only real way to record (I'm not sure how that works), and assumed that Reason was the only soft synth in existence.

There was an online article posted a while back that did nothing to assuage my initial instincts that the whole idea has more to do with people being interested in Linux than people being interested in better ways of making music - it was written by a relatively experienced Unix user, with a Garageband level of musical sophistication.

So what's the story? What is so enticing about recording in Linux? Inquiring minds need to know.

Free software maybe? That's what got me interested. Add up the cost of an OS, a host + plugins on a PC/Mac system once.

Free software, community participation in the development of the software, lots of reasons.

Don't judge things based on what you hear from ignorant people...

[yuri t]

Doesn't it all come down to time? It's like owning a hot rod. It runs faster, handles better but you have to tinker with it constantly and know how to work on cars to begin with. Most folks are busy enough working day jobs or actually producing music to have the time to also learn to work with Linux and open source programs. For those with both the time, ability and knowledge (oh yeah, endless patience) it's great.

[dlphillips]

[quote="yuri t"]Doesn't it all come down to time? It's like owning a hot rod. It runs faster, handles better but you have to tinker with it constantly and know how to work on cars to begin with. Most folks are busy enough working day jobs or actually producing music to have the time to also learn to work with Linux and open source programs. For those with both the time, ability and knowledge (oh yeah, endless patience) it's great.[/quote]

I repeat: AGNULA/Demudi works right out of the box for many users. Planet CCRMA takes a little more time but is quite easy to install. Btw, I'm currently testing FC3, I advise staying with RH9 and the optimized 2.4 kernel from Planet C until various issues with Fedora have been resolved..

Best,

dp