[linux-audio-user] TAKE ACTION - Thread on RME - additional notes

[Ivica Ico Bukvic]

> Nothing like being too polite... found one problem with my system the
> primary sound card a Creative Labs Audiology sound card had major

You mean Audigy? :-)

> > BTW all of those posts are very polite (too polite for my taste ;)

Sometimes knocking at the door will get them opened faster than trying to
break in with a battering ram.

Seriously though, RME has done a lot for Linux community and have also been
AFAIK very up-front that they will not support Fireface in Linux (at least
not for the time being; perhaps once the competing companies try to catch-up
and release their hardware in response to Fireface, at which point they will
unlikely be in a position to spend more bucks on backwards-engineering the
RME driver, at that point the RME may release the driver to their card; the
other option would be what Paul in-part addressed: getting RME to present
their model as a patented standard for other companies to use at which point
their IP would be protected, but this obviously does not depend solely on
RME but also on other companies in terms of embracing their protocol).

At this point if you continue to be aggressive you just may do more damage
than good. RME has told us several times that they are not planning on
supporting Linux *at this point in time* for reasons we may or may not find
to be valid (but that in itself is beside the point).

OTOH, I can sympathize with you if you went out and dished out a lot of
money for audio hw that does not work with Linux. If you have a proof that
RME has somewhere clearly stated that they would support Linux with their
Fireface before you made the purchase then you can bring this issue to their
attention in hope that they will allow you to return the audio card for a
refund, but that is about it. Alternately, you can take them to court but
obviously only if you are never planning to deal with them again and only if
you believe to have a very strong proof that they have claimed Linux support
prior to your purchase (something that I personally definitely would *not*
recommend, if for nothing else, then for the sake of the Linux community). 

That being said, I've had issues with the RME support in the past on their
forums where my suggestions were patronized by the RME staff when it came to
addressing a bug in their driver (even though in the end the bug was and
arguably may still be there, haven't checked lately), and as a result I
received rather rude responses from some of their staff members. Yet, their
products are rather good and while sometimes their manners are not
necessarily their strongest point, they certainly have helped Linux come one
step closer to becoming a DAW powerhouse. That in itself made me look the
other way regarding this matter and continue to support their products with
my wallet and verbal advertisement where applicable.

Best wishes,

Ico

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