Getting Started With Linux

nescivi · Joined: Mar 23, 2005 Posts: 94 Location: Montreal

IRCAM has released some of their software for Linux. I am using Modalys from them (it's not GPL'ed but it works nonetheless). I just think they are not saying it loud enough yet, that it actually runs on Linux and partly even better (interaction with other programs again).
I believe OpenMusic also works.

I'm not sure whether other commercial software is starting to get interested to port their stuff to Linux, but I suppose the step should not be too far for those making Mac-Software, as both linux and mac osx are posix based.

Also, I could imagine the NI people getting interested in Linux; at least some of their developers are socially mingling with Linux people, so the idea might catch on... but this is just speculating Smile

Being paid for developing software does help not being distracted by having to do other stuff to be able to pay food, the rent, electricity bills and so on... but for a lot of Linux developers it is not the main motivation to do stuff.

as for hardware manufacturers... some have understood it makes sense to support Linux, like RME (probably the most highend audio interface supported on Linux).
A lot of others are supported as well.
Unfortunately, Firewire audio is not supported widely yet, partly because the soundcard manufacturers are not really agreeing on a standard and don't want to share their details about how they've done it.
But, there is some effort going on there as well to make it all work (there is the FreeBob project).

DrJustice · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:35 pm Post subject:

I do not understand exactly what you mean or where you take this from.

Kassen · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 5:05 pm Post subject:

Justice; I would describe your criteria as being based on organisation and hyrarchy, not not so much on wether or not the venture is commercial. In fact if those are your cirteria then many of the open source projects I think are relevant and important to the development of computer music are at least partially comercial too.

There might be advantages to that style of making software though if you combine that style with what *I* would call commercial interests (being driven by a desire for finantial profits as a main concern) then the end result is quite concervative most of the time. That apeals to some people, less so to others.

There was clearly a large confusion about the meaning of those words, this got much worse because earlier some people here used the same words attacking me and implying that being driven by anything other then financial interests amounted to communism. I think, it wasn´t realy clear what they thought because they wouldn´t answer any questions.

I apologise for attacking you but hope you understand why I thought your comments were insulting.

Mobs; N.I.´s tractor used to be (and perhaps still is) based on linux. It would reboot into Linux, then start the program. I figured out how it worked because I tried fixing a video card problem on one install; there was on Linux driver for that card and I tried getting it to run with some homebrew affair. No luck at that time. Anyway, remarkably it´s one of the few commercial programs that supports OSC, I´m not sure what you would want to do with Tractor and OSC but it does. You could do realy detailed timestreching of mp3 files over a network if you´d want to....

DrJustice · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 5:22 pm Post subject:

Back on topic.

I have been at Fervent and looked t things and I now have a copy of "Studio to Go" on order. It supports the Delta-1010 which I already have. While waiting for it I need to get the 1010 fixed - I hope it's just that suspected blown regulator on one rail...

I have just moved to a new apartment and am in the process of setting up my gear. I haven't really been sequencing much for a long time and I'n not tied to any particular tools. Thus a fresh go with an out-of-the-box linux DAW is just what the doctor ordered Wink

BTW: spending 50 pounds is in no way a charity, I expect to be able to get the product to work as advertised (aww... sorry).

Will let you know how it works out!

DJ
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DrJustice · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 5:35 pm Post subject:

Kassen, I just now saw your last posting.

I still don't understand how or why did and still do put so much strange things (to me) into that initial posting and follow ups. The concept of "greedy hierarchially demanding tycoon" is utterly repulsive to me - please believe that if nothing else. The most important aspect of an organised company is IMO the fellow human factor - it can work wonders. Was it the word "manager" that set this off?

No aplogies are needed - it is OK to misunderstand each other. Let's not hear anymore of it.

I'd like a working linux DAW though, if that's still OK Smile

DJ
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jksuperstar · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 5:39 pm Post subject:

DrJ-

Unless the folks at Fervent send me a copy to review, please let all of us know how your dealings with it go!

I think they've solved a lot of problems by going to a Live CD (this solves dependency issues, upgrade issues, broken installs, etc).

Good Luck!
-jk*

Kassen · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:29 pm Post subject:

DrJ, I hope all is cleared up after my PM, but here it´s my turn to feel misunderstood, hyrarchy here was meant neutrally, "asembling a team" implies some leadership from above, preferably with some vision.

I have no fundamental problem with this, actually from time to time I spend my time engineering for people who´s vision I believe in, obediently following their leadership and only occasionaly placing side remarks like "we could also resample instead of filter here".

DrJustice · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:57 pm Post subject:

All clear!

I know exactly how it is to be placed low in corporate hierarchies; engineering is pretty much the bottom end. Trying to contribute upwards in a project hasn't always been popular. But I've worked on some really good projects too where contributions are welcomed.

I might add that between unpaid open source projects and closed corporate projects (presumeably wholly commercial), I believe there are many degrees of freedom in how you conduct a project and manage IP, it is not all black and white.

Have a look at http://www.dwheeler.com/sloc/ to see the worth of linux. My hat is off!

Maybe I'll start kernel hacking when I retire Very Happy

DJ
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blue hell · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject:

DrJustice · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:20 pm Post subject:

jk mentioned mini-itx boards previously in this thread.

I'm happy to report that I have mini-itx up and running. It boots "iMedia Embedded Linux" (ready made for EPIA boards) from a FLASH IDE module. CF cards (they are just FLASH IDE disks) and USB devices works as well. There's another EPIA ready distribution called EpiOS in the works over at http://www.epios.net/. More good ITX stuff at http://www.epiacenter.com/

The card I have is a Via EPIA ML5000EA, which is a 533MHz fanless board, with full typical ATX functionality. It is totally silent using the FLASH IDE module. Quite cool, literally!

I intend to try Studio to Go on the EPIA board. It'll be interesting to try out some varieties of installs and boots, aiming for a totally silent in-operation system. A little "whooosh" when booing off a live CD is acceptable. A silent ITX linux system is swiftly emerging as a favuorite sequencing/DAW candidate.

DJ
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jksuperstar · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:50 pm Post subject:

It's been a while since I looked at those...Dual Processor 1GHz! That's what synthesizers are made of Smile

Those 3 Ethernet ports are screaming for OSC also!

I dig the "Nano" ITX boards also. Hmmm...what's a hardware designer to do? Time to build a sequencer!

Or a nord editor that fits on that little space to the right of the knobs?
or a max/msp - Pd engine? supercollider?

I better start drinking until I'm sober again.