[linux-audio-user] Opening up the discussion

[Brett McCoy]

Jay Vaughan wrote:
> i think, somewhat, that we're talking about taking a computer and 
> turning it into a musical instrument.
> 
> when was the last time you ever required someone to read the manual for 
> their 6-string before they could play it?  or their bass?  or a flute?  
> or the violin?
> 
> sure, it takes skill to play an instrument.. but its the doing that 
> makes the skill, not the reading.
> 
> users should -never- be -required- to get trained before the instrument 
> will work.  the instrument should work, by itself, by default, anyway..

I think we're comparing the wrong things.  And there is a big difference 
between a guitar player who learns a couple of chords and strums along 
and sings over the chords and writes a couple of tunes and plays at open 
mike coffeehouses and the guitar player who spends many years studying 
music theory and various techniques, works with a metronome on a daily 
basis and ends up becoming the guitarist for Dream Theater or Yes.

Again, it is the intended goal that should determine the level of effort 
to learn how something works, whether it's a musical instrument, a piece 
of software or a pile of hardware.

-- Brett
-----------
Programmer by day, Guitarist by Night
http://www.chapelperilous.net
http://www.alhazred.com
http://www.revelmoon.com