[linux-audio-dev] Is ladspa actually la-dsp-a? Is JACK the ultimate solution?

[Alfons Adriaensen]

On Wed, Jun 09, 2004 at 10:06:00AM +0200, Marek Peteraj wrote:

> On Tue, 2004-06-08 at 21:15, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

> > - When I saw the collection of VST plugins that Paul Davis used
> > to show his VST hosting in Karlsruhe, I asked myself "My god,
> > do they all look that childish ?".
> 
> Ask win32 and mac users how the linux audio UIs look like :)

Whatever they think about linux audio UIs, that will not change
my opinion expressed above.

There are various kinds of users of audio SW; their requirements
and opinions will vary. In my experience, most serious and
professional users prefer a UI that is first of all functional,
with as little clutter as possible, i.e. a UI that is designed
by people who understand how something works and how it is
used, rather than by the marketing department. This type of
user may be a minority, but they are the only ones that really
matter to me - I am neither a politician nor a salesman, and I
have no desire to be popular.

In a more general sense, a majority is not 'right' by itself,
a majority of informed people probably is. And having paid for
something does not qualify someone as informed. In other words,
the consumer is not always right by definition. If he were,
there would be no place for marketing, which has been defined
as 'the art of disturbing rational decision making'.

The audio business is full of hype and irrational behaviour.
Lots of people seem prepared to pay 5 Eur for a meter of 
'directional oxygen free left-twisting copper' loudspeaker
cable. Should I take their opinion seriously ? I prefer not to.


> > - The typical VST plugin (talking about the serious ones)
> > corresponds more to a JACK application than a LADSPA plugin,
> > not because both have a GUI, but because of the complexity.
> > This is just a matter of naming. We could start calling a 
> > JACK application a JACK 'plugin' but I'd vote against.
> > JAMIN is a good example of this.
> 
> But if you let JAMin run as the only client, you'll see it
> makes no sense, since it needs audio input to be useful.

*What* makes no sense ?

> You guys are developers, but this could get rather confusing
> for users.

When you buy a piece of equipment and put it somewhere in
your studio it doesn't make much sense until you connect it.
Most users *do* understand this.

-- 
FA