[linux-audio-dev] Poll: Distro for audio and MIDI development

Hi, I am somewhat new to Linux low-level development. I have developed for other UNIX systems before, and also for Windows NT and for JavaCard compatible smartcards. I have used (and enjoyed) Debian for a long time as a Linux user and for web development. Getting into low-level development, I find Debian sid slightly more unstable than I would find myself entirely comfortable programming with. I have tried Mandrake for Intel and PowerPC platforms and also enjoyed it as an user. Unluckily, latest Mandrake is not very well supported for PowerPC platforms, and my computer at home is an Apple G3 (even now, I know Mandrake 9.1 will be the last PowerPC version). There is no Red Hat for us (though I know about but not tried Yellow Dog). I dream about a development setup as stable but also as updated as posible. I'd like to know about your development setup, being whatever the platform (Intel, PowerPC, etc.), distros you like for development, whether if you use packaged drivers and libraries or latest versions compiled from snapshots or even CVS, also about packaged, stable or development, unstable kernels, etc. Any feedback will be very useful. Thanks in advance. Regards, Ismael