[LAU] question re: Minicomputer synth

[Dave Phillips]

M-.-n wrote:
> Even tho the approach is not 'out there' (as it seems quite a bit of 
> linux programs use this client / server approach) I have the feeling 
> it's the kind of details that could pull off users from adopting linux 
> as a music platform. If you plan on trying a synth, you'd want to see 
> it's face right ? It's kind of the same as the jackd/jackstart/qjackctl 
> issue. When I tryed it first, I got really confused by all of them. 
> Actually, I still didn't get the jackstart/jackd difference, my eee 
> seems to need jackstart, my ubuntu install doesn't even  have one.
>  
> In my views, a single executable would be a lot better, and if anybody 
> wants to run it without a GUI, give them a command-line option. Sure 
> that will mean your main executable will depend on user interface libs 
> but i don't see anybody wanting to run the synth without wanting to 
> tweak it at some point so the libs will be needed anyway....
Respectfully, I disagree. The client/server architecture is one I wish 
more synths would adopt. Thanks to this design, the engine may be 
controlled by MIDI or OSC, can be run with or without a (possibly 
custom) GUI, and allows the engine to be used for purposes other than 
those originally intended. The client/server distinction confers great 
flexibility, though it may not be immediately apparent to the new user.

Linuxsampler works this way, as does SuperCollider3, and I believe the 
new Csound API permits similar operation.

Best,

dp