[linux-audio-user] Preach it! [was: Re: [linux-audio-user] Re: Behringer etc.]

[Mark Knecht]

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 11:17:31 -0600, Ryan Gallagher
<ruinaudio at comcast.net> wrote:
> On Tue, 2004-11-30 at 08:10 -0800, Mark Knecht wrote:
> > BTW - I truly think that in the next 12-24 months Digi will release
> > PTLE for Linux.
> 
> Ok, I'll bite :-)

:-) :-) 

> 
> Mark there's just no way it'll happen.  Think about how picky Digi is
> with hardware AND software (your example about PTLE not working with SP2
> and recent OS X).  I mean you can count their "recommended systems" on
> one hand practically.  DigiDesign prides themselves (and their business
> model rests on the premise) in the stability and reliablity of their
> software/hardware.  They'd never want to associate themselves with
> something so amorphous and widely varried as linux, with utter certainty
> I'll say they'd never support it.

I agree if you only think Linux is what we deal with - source code,
any old distro, etc.
> 
> IMHO *IF* Digi ever made an entry in the linux world they'd *only* do it
> by picking *one* distro to support and only that distro.  What distro
> would/could that be?  As of now there's no distro that'll do low latency
> audio out of the box.  They'll not risk their reputation on a "community
> based" distro, they'd want corporate.  So that leaves? RH Suse?  Sorry
> hardly enough of a customer base in either.

I agree that they will pick a distro. I think I'll guess today it's
Fedora as they'll wake up one day and see what Fernando supplies and
rally around that.

As for their recommended systems, let's jsut say that I think they'll
have a 'recommended distro' and only support that. Other distro folks
support themselves. However, think of what it would mean to Digi's
PC/Mac customers to simply be told 'If you want to run this under
Linux the use Fedora, PlanetCCRMA and our code. It works. Anything
else and your on your own.' I think that will be compelling and people
who aren't so 'distro religious' as many here would likely try it out.
No more virus problems. No problems with networking, etc. Biggest
question in my mind would be Waves and other plugin vendors really
coming along, but that could happen if there are enough Digi users
requesting it over time. Maybe Digi writes an RTAS/LADSPA wrapper and
lets people use LADSPA plugins as a default to start. For many, many
people (me included) we hardly use plugins and it doesn't matter that
much.

People everywhere are at least tired of Windows and looking for
alternatives. My 76 year old dad got sick of Windows and switched to
Linux a year ago. He hasn't run windows since. For Christ's sake,
yesterday I uninstalled GigaSampler and now Win ME won't even boot. Go
figure? Who knows what folks in studios are putting up with.

I think there's a good chance but I have no info. Don't read me wrong
on that account.

> 
> I could one day, maybe, see them floating "PT-free" out there for
> linux... maybe... but a full blown PTLE release?  I won't say "never"
> but I'll confidently say not for a long long long long time and maybe
> never.

No - I don't see that. Digi is far and away a hardware company. They
make all their money selling hardware and give the software away for
free. PT-free was an entry version, unsupported even under Windows,
and just a way to get people hooked so they would eventually buy
hardware. It's a good model for them. They have become successful
doing it. No monopolies  - just good hard work running a good
business. They won't release PT-free for Linux unless they are serious
about backing it up with a product that will make them money.

> 
> > If they did they solve the hardware support problem
> > and have an advantage over anyone using other Linux tools with home
> > grown Alsa support. That would be pretty cool. If their normal release
> > policies applied then for $75 I'd have a 3rd OS to run on.
> 
> Closed binary only Alsa support for the DD hardware would have to spring
> fully formed from Avid, it's just not going to happen.  I mean if
> there's a company out there that's worse than Apple about tying hardware
> and software... it's gotta be DigiDesign.  Sorry, though I'd like to see
> it (no offense ardour), I'm not going to hold my breath.

Don't! 1-2 years and you'll be very blue. (Literally!) ;-)

> 
> I think it was you who suggested a "DigiDesign Distro" bundled with
> PTLE?

Sure - why not? Live CDs are easy technology now. They could supply a
Knoppix like, boot from CD, install the Digi distro and PTLE in one
step, and off their Linux users go.

> 
> Ok, here's the most remotely possible solution... a "Powerd by linux &
> DigiDesign Console [tm]" again, hardware and software locked, and that'd
> be a high-end solution...
> 
> Sorry, but PT and Linux just ain't going to happen.  All MHO of course.

Hey, you and I have more similar views than I might have thought when
I read the first line of your response. None of this is a CIA slam
dunk. ;-)

- Mark