[linux-audio-user] Doing the soundcard manufacturer tango (long)

[Ryan Gallagher]

On Thu, 2004-12-02 at 09:00 -0800, Greg Reddin wrote:
> --- Dave Phillips <dlphilp at bright.net> wrote:
> >     It's often overlooked how incredibly conservative the whole
> > industry 
> > really is. Innovative trends like Linux may be perceived more as 
> > disruptive than smoothly continuing "things as we've always known
> > and liked them to be", especially to the higher-level professional
> > studios. 
> 
> You know that never ceases to amaze me.  How is it that this industry
> is so stuck on doing things in a prescribed way?
> So why does the industry as a whole seem to have a "one-track" mind
> about how we do things?

Pretty simple really.  Money.

People in ANY industry want to get the job done effeciently, quickly and
reliably and follow some industry standards.

Interoperability - If I record in protools, the industry standard, I can
take my session to be remixed at almost any studio.

Time investment - time spent learning the "SuperFlakeySession whizbang
DAW" is time not spent recording/playing (see earlier in the thread).

Focus - Debugging a kernel patch in order to record a band?  Not many
engineers will.  People who pay the rent by recording/playing are
focused on well... recording/playing.

Community - Check out the protools mail list, see what kind of
question/responses are there.  If you run PTLE and you have a question,
you'll get an answer.

Support - again, down-time is not an option for most small studios, and
wouldn't be tolerated in any big one from what I see... I bet you'll see
"DigiDesign" name tags on button up shirts once in a while in the halls
of Sony.  Who's going to come fix RandomSynth-linux at 12 midnight?

Features - (see time) sure it *might* happen with FOSS, but basic
fundamental features need to be in place that are still missing from
linux audio.

Reliability - Check with Mark about how often PTLE changes in any
fundamental way... rarely.  It's the "just works" philosophy.

> If you wanna run live sound you better get
> schooled on setting everything up in a prescribed manner and don't
> deviate.  Always use certain brands.  Always avoid certain brands. 
> Don't even bother putting your brain to use.  Just throw a '57 on the
> snare and don't think about it.  So, now someone who innovates is
> considered "unprofessional."  That really bothers me.

Well, what works... works.  Part of the human experience is building
upon the efforts of others.  Sure experiment, but don't re-invent the
wheel.

> The thing that keeps me coming back to Linux audio is that spirit of
> innovation.

Sorry, I love linux-audio and love the developers... but seriously, list
all the "innovation" in linux audio... I'll get the list started:

jackd

and?  Sorry, we're still playing catch-up.

> People in this community are not afraid to do things
> differently.  

Yes, because for the majority, this is a hobby, where all the things
listed above are viewed in a favorible light.  It's what excites me
about linux-audio.  I think it's rather rediculous to sit around
bemoaning the way 99% of everyone else does it...  Kinda like DP was
saying, let's not find fault with how everyone else does it (especially
when it works really really well), let's just do it better.

-ry

> Greg
> 
> 
> 		
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-- 
Ryan Gallagher <ruinaudio at comcast.net>