On Sat, 28 May 2005 17:41:01 -0500, Andrew wrote:

On Sat, 28 May 2005 13:36:58 -0700, Marko Shindler wrote:

Linux?
Do you want to create music or twiddle with your computer? Linux
currently has at least 5 different sound servers, none of which talk to
each other. If you are interested in low latency you will have to run
Jack which is supposedly a low latency sound server that uses ALSA (one
of the Linux sound systems) to interface with your audio hardware. The
entire thing is one gigantic mess that requires endless care and
feeding.
How do I know?
I tried to do the very same thing about a month ago and finally gave up
because I found myself spending more time trying to make things work
than creating music.




I dunno anything about sound processing, but I know there are similar
problems with other categories of software. There is some discussion
going on right now over at debianhelp.org about the failure of the open
source movement to produce enough decent software.

It's not that simple, though, is it? For a start, who decides what's
decent software, and what's not? We all want stuff that works, obviously.
All some of us will want to do is string together some sound samples and
such, or play with midi synths, but others may wish to delve deep into the
mysteries of sound, right down to the most basic wave-forms. No one
program is ever going to address all needs at once.


One recommended solution was that we start paying programming teams to
come up with high-grade usable software that is released to the public
domain. This makes sense - we will not attract and hold new users unless
we start meeting their program needs and expectations. The last thing a
newcomer wants to see is massively buggy programs or a console and command
line programs.

That's true enough. Though there is always going to be a place for the
command line, I hope (I may not use it much myself, but I recognise its
importance). What we need is more musically-inclined users to get involved
in the community. When you think about it, music itself is a kind of
programming language, when it's written down.


I would imagine that a quality music processing suite (as sophisticated as
Open Office, Gimp or Mathematica) would go a long way to attracting new,
young users. What do you folks think?

I think you're quite right. More people that ever are creating content of
various kinds, rather than just being passive recipients of it, and to my
mind that's a good thing and should be encouraged. Creative expression of
all kinds can enrich people's lives.

(fup2COLA)

--
Kier