I agree that there needs to be an option to either auto-connect or not, my personal opinion is that auto-connect should be the default since the alternative of knowing everything puts too high a barrier to entry on Linux systems. What I mean by "knowing everything" is that without some auto-config then a first time user needs to find out and understand all the reasons and options that are preventing their application generating audio. The opposing situation is that an experienced user would have to find out the correct way to tune their environment overriding the auto-config features, something they are going to have to do anyway. There are plenty of similar mandates from other musical technologies, even MIDI specified that an instrument, per default, should always come up first time in OMNI mode and accept MIDI from any channel. That way the first time user can connect a cable and get started. Once they are happy they can bolt down their own channels, settings, etc, that fit their developing environment.
> Nick, i'd have to disagree with this.
>
> Operating Jack was easy, including cabling ports. It was figuring out
the tweaks, compatability, etc, that took time, and patience.
>
> So i'm one of those users that you say is indicative of an autoconnect dumbing down process. I think you missed the mark.
I don't think any option given by a program implies dumbing down, the very fact that options are available imply user awareness in able to use them correctly, this issue is more about what are reasonable defaults for any option supported by a program.
Do you think that apps should then never, ever autoconnect? Personally I still don't see the logic behind not having this as a default behaviour as long as it can be overridden as discussed by Arnold.
> now i'm a little wiser using linux, the LAST thing i'd want
is an app autoconnecting
By implication, for people who are not a little wiser using Linux then this feature may also _not_ the quite the _last_ thing they might want. The thing about such a capability is that if it is not discarded immediately then it should really be the first thing, ie, the default, otherwise it makes no sense anyway.
Perhaps LAU is not the best place for this kind of discussion. Most of the people on this list are actually quite savvy and well aware of what they are being confronted with from a Linux installation. A friend of mine wanted to get his first Linux installation going to get audio software for his kids to play with. Now I was not too concerned about how his kids would get on with configuring all the different options, they pick stuff fast, however his pride might have been dented by not being able to get some basic going for them to get started. Will have a chat with him and find out his opinion as a slightly in awe new user and perhaps the first question I should ask him is who programes his television, I would put my money on it being his kids. My own daughter is two years old an loves banging banging sounds out of softsynths, quite happy to stick the USB MIDI cables where they neeed to go but I still have to connect all the apps together for her which is a bit of a shame. It's not that I mind doing it with her but I am sure that she would feel more assertive if she did it all herself.
Nick