1 Sep
2009
1 Sep
'09
11:28 p.m.
On 09/02/2009 11:04 AM, Mike Mazarick wrote:
This is pretty good discussion. However, IMHO, the
concentration should be
on new apps and new directions that are not quite covered yet. I would
encourage the linux audio developer community to embrace what works well in
the Windows/Mac Audio world and do new things that provides new capabilities
for the musician (which Linux could do really well).
Since we're discussing Rube Goldberg, I probably have the weirdest setup on
the planet.
I thought the point of a Rube Goldberg was making one. With Jack
everyone has that opportunity.
I've got 4 old 8 channel soundcards hooked up in
parallel with
an alsa driver that isn't part of alsa. I'm using PlanetCCRMA Fedora Core
8 (I'm waiting for 10 or 11 to settle down) and a 64 bit kernel. I've
managed somehow to get WineASIO/Jackbridge to work, so I can also run Reaper
and get VST effects. I can run a lot of programs (like Ableton Live) using
WineASIO. I haven't messed with VMWare/Xen/KVM yet, and I may not if my
current setup works out. There is an AWFUL lot of things I haven't figured
out yet (like how to get automation to happen with Ardour).
I would suggest that the best approach would be taking various audio
streaming formats (such as ADAT, TDIF, etc) and have them reformatted into a
standard that can be used with a low cost interface (such as eSATA,
Ethernet). ATA over Ethernet is a good model to use. It would be possible
with modern processors to put a virtual machine inside a Windows box and
have a fake place for the audio to be routed and could grab the
esata/Ethernet port for our own evil purposes. If we allow Ableton Live to
do what it is good at and incorporate it's outputs into the evil Linux
'Master Plan', pretty soon we'll suck up all the audio and everyone will
absolutely require this neat thing we've got.
In a way we are already at the pinnacle of available resources/time
being invested into this approach.
I think if too much energy
is spent cloning a good idea, we will always be a rev behind and never with
as good a quality as the original.
This is a potential problem but with Open source development we are
usually just scratching a personal itch and not many of us are paid to
invest much energy into keeping ahead of the game. The inherent
structure of libre software development is a perfect platform for
innovation but innovation also requires some form of motivation. That's
where money is usually a good lubricant. If we wanted to fast track
innovation in Linux Audio applications we probably have to get people to
give us lots of money to make stuff happen. There are various businesses
and projects working on this angle too and imo momentum is building
nicely but there is still room for improvement.
I note that since the changes to the ardour download and financial
contributions system there has been an increase in monthly income which
is excellent as the ardour development has contributed to many of the
great advances that we have seen in Linux Audio and will continue to
take a large roll in that with a continuous revenue stream.
I would like to see that system replicated spread across more Linux
Audio applications as that could be a significant motivating factor. I
know it has motivated me to divert some more of my time back into Linux
Audio. Not because I am getting any of that money but because I can see
the level of support that people have for the work that is being done
and a realtively accurate gauge of what the potential for the platform
is for making a living.
Patrick Shirkey
Boost Hardware Ltd