What would make you switch to Linux?

[robogone]

My first experience with Linux was using Mandrake back around 2001 or so, when installing NVIDIA drivers was an adventure. Tried early versions of Ubuntu, and kept a system floating around for many years until recently, on Windows and Mac hardware.

I quite like Linux, but to answer the question - what keeps me from switching? It's just (native) compatibility. Tracktion 5 works on linux now, but sadly Ableton Live doesn't - and AFAIK, my vast collection of VST's don't either. If they did, I'd consider switching.

You pretty much hit the main points for me.

I'm pretty sure that Linux will cover more bases eventually but not foe now....

Yep, and that's why my dual boot system has Windows 8 - for the audio stuff.

Not really interested in using Windows 8 for my day to day stuff though, and glad to be using Linux right now for Internet access through a non-Microsoft browser and with a non-admin account.

[chk071]

I wonder how many people, outside of america, because i know that there's the most IE users there, really use IE on Windows. In germany, Google Chrome is big, and there are also many people using Firefox. Tbh, i don't know anyone using IE. On the other hand, i wonder how many people use Firefox on Linux. It's preinstalled on almost every Linux distro as the default browser. One could argue about how many actually know there's other browsers on Linux than the Firefox.

[robogone]

I wonder how much the percentage of IE users is inflated because of corporate mandates to use IE. Most of the large corporations I've worked for have used IE and still use IE. I think most of the Finance world uses IE still based on what I have seen.

Not sure if there are numbers for just the home market, but I'll bet IE is a tiny percentage.

[chk071]

Maybe it's because some special stuff, or web apps, require you to use ActiveX, which isn't available in other browsers than the IE. Just a shot in the dark.

[foosnark]

I wonder how many people, outside of america, because i know that there's the most IE users there, really use IE on Windows.

There's a saying about Internet Explorer: it's the #1 most used browser for downloading another browser.

[arkmabat]

Not really interested in using Windows 8 for my day to day stuff though, and glad to be using Linux right now for Internet access through a non-Microsoft browser and with a non-admin account.

Hold on... when I think of admin accounts and stuff, Linux comes first to mind.

[mcnelson]

I wonder how many people, outside of america, because i know that there's the most IE users there, really use IE on Windows. In germany, Google Chrome is big, and there are also many people using Firefox. Tbh, i don't know anyone using IE. On the other hand, i wonder how many people use Firefox on Linux. It's preinstalled on almost every Linux distro as the default browser. One could argue about how many actually know there's other browsers on Linux than the Firefox.

And just to play devils advocate, I don't see the EU getting pissy about that and forcing Linux distro's to include a browser choice screen

[SuitcaseOfLizards]

Plugins, plain and simple. If my AudioDamage and NI plugs don't work, I'm not going there.

I do use Ubuntu for some driver dev work, under VirtualBox.

[chk071]

I wonder how many people, outside of america, because i know that there's the most IE users there, really use IE on Windows. In germany, Google Chrome is big, and there are also many people using Firefox. Tbh, i don't know anyone using IE. On the other hand, i wonder how many people use Firefox on Linux. It's preinstalled on almost every Linux distro as the default browser. One could argue about how many actually know there's other browsers on Linux than the Firefox.

And just to play devils advocate, I don't see the EU getting pissy about that and forcing Linux distro's to include a browser choice screen

Well, there is a difference of course, as IE builds up on the Windows explorer, and therefor can't be removed from Windows, and of course MS as a company will want you to use IE and stuff, but really, this thing is completely exaggerated. If you don't like to use IE, you can install any browser you want basically. Forcing MS to do a browser choice screen is really a good laugh, and is typical for EU judgements. Gain "likes" by applying to people's stupidity. Of course noone will know that there's other internet browser when they don't give you a big fat notification that there is, plus a choice screen... But then, even that applies to people's stupidity, and is in a way even good for MS. I mean, what a nice company to give you such a service!

[Lost_Highway]

Thanks for your comprehensive response! I was originally wanting to hear from people who'd given Linux a proper try but found its audio software lacking then decided not to use it although your complaints are just as valid and you've provided the most detailed response yet - its the sort of thing I wanted.

I'm glad my brain-splurge was helpful not sure this one will be

What always surprises me is how seemingly vitriolic responses to these sorts of questions often are. Things like "Linux is no good for me because there's no driver for XYZ bit of hardware", "My workflow is based around such-and-such programme which doesn't run natively/doesn't run under Wine (reliably, or at all)", "I've got a lot of time/money invested in plugins that won't work under Linux", "It'd be too much of an investment of time to learn a new OS when my current one does everything I need and am perfectly happy with it" are all eminently reasonable, sensible and rational reasons for not contemplating switching to Linux and there are more where those came from.

But so often there's responses along the lines of "There's no driver/support/whatever for my [insert deal-breaking bit of hardware/workflow/software/plugins/whatever], so Linux is f**king shit and totally f**king useless" and trash-talking it as a whole based on valid reasons why it isn't suitable for that person. Assertions to the effect that it's totally impossible to use Linux for audio work, when there are many people for whom it's perfectly possible, including people making a livelihood from using it. Or the question's asked why don't you use Linux (in order to be better informed how Linux needs to be improved) only to be met with nasty responses. Okay, we get it, you don't give a shit whether or not Linux does ever improve, but what's the beef with people trying to find out how to do it?

Mind you, a lot of the proselytising that goes on around Linux, either in general or audio specifically, pisses me off no end or is cringeworthy . Often wide-eyed, simplistic bollocks that makes overstated claims or bludgeons people with the idealistic arguments totally ignoring any practical or pragmatic concerns. And no doubt it has the same effect on many non-Linux users, probably even turns them off from trying it in the first place. Plus the constant ragging on Microsoft and Apple won't help and no doubt causes people to repay in kind. But all the hate gets a bit tiresome nevertheless.

Linux and much of the software for it is far from perfect and can be very frustrating at times, it isn't black and white, open and shut, which is why people that try to portray it as perfect and saintly irk me. As I get older I think I'm getting much less interested in Linux attracting a much bigger market share: as long as it maintains enough numbers that active development can be sustained, I'll be happy. People who are curious or interested will find their own way to it.

There was no transition, music-wise, for me. The time I started investigate DAWs etc was around the time I was starting to investigate Linux as a general OS, becoming aware of it from a geeky friend. So my first audio steps were taken under Linux rather than trying to transfer an existing workflow/skillset from one OS to another. Certainly wouldn't want to switch to Windows or Mac, too steep a learning curve and too much time to invest to learn a new IS, don't support many of the plugins I use, can't run my DAW, other apps missing, Linux does everything I need it to

The switch to Linux was made easier because I was already using a fair bit of FLOSS under XP, such as Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice, GIMP (which is good, but it isn't a 1:1 replacement for Photoshop and it annoys me when people try to sell it as such; equally annoys me when people say it's totally useless because it doesn't have particular features -- perfectly valid for a lot of people, especially professionals, but it's more than adequate for many other use cases, such as hobbyists) etc. That's the thing, there's more to FLOSS than Linux and, whilst Linux is very closely tied to FLOSS (especially for the GNU/Linux crowd), there's more to it than just open source.

It's probably about time I shut up

As for Hammond emulation, did you try setBfree or Calf organ? Unfortunately setBfree doesnt like qtractor but its a great Hammond emulator if you're using A3 or another non-Qt LV2 host.

Don't think either were in existence at the time I got B4II, which at the time was widely considered the most authentic B3 emu (and before VB3 came out). Many people reckon VB3's the best now so it seemed the natural choice. I've not tried setBfree or Calf organ -- never played a real B3 for that matter -- but I didn't get the impression they've been extensively researched and accurately modelled. I also got that impression very distinctly about Bristol, not that I could get it to work last time I tried, but ISTR they all use the same oscillators and filter, no modelling of the synths they look like. Doesn't matter to a lot of people, but I don't see the point myself.

There is another Linux sampler in the works by the main CALF dev (K. 'cat pix' Foltman) and Nils Gey. No word on an ETA though. I expect it'll have a more standard license than LS.

I'd seen those rumours afoot, which sounds interesting and hopefully will be a step in the right direction.

Mellotron? You're recording prog rock? Links please!

Sorry if I got your hopes up, you've already heard all of my (paltry amount of) offerings.

[glokraw]

For the seasoned and wealthy KVR windows/mac user, there is a little to gain
by using linux, within a narrow range*. But if Reaper is already your daw,
it runs nicely in wine/wineasio, with most non-dongled plugins working well,
and reaper output is available to linux inputs.

The wine strategy to follow, is try the wine version your linux repositories
provide, and if that fails to run Reaper and your favorite plugins,
revert to wine 1.4. For which you may have to google that deb/rpm file

The repository strategy to follow, is set your package manager to retain
downloaded packages, then move them to keep as backups. Reinstall
crucial apps, to access their packages for backup, downloaded packages
are often found in /var/cache/ sub-folders

For hardware without hassles, use an mAudio pci soundcard, nVidia graphics card,
get in the bios, and turn off all the superfluous non-audio motherboard gear,
and the motherboard audio chip. A narrow, but well paved road.

Most audio specialty distros pre-configure the audio user, memlock, and either
low-latency, or realtime priorities, so a youtube tour of qjackctl videos,
(the gui for connections) and the apps chosen in the video,
should clear up the gui questions about connecting hardware and software.

(*) For those who are less than wealthy, here are some
of the current audio apps to create music:
Hexter, provides DX7 sysex import/editing, a large collection is out there.
Whysynth, and amsynth: provide a nice range of expected synth sounds.
Phasex: provides a refuge (or sanitarium) for serious sound creators.
Calf Monosynth and organ: some great pre-fx bread and butter.
zynaddsubfx/yoshimi: 16 part multitimbral beast, world class sound.
TAL Noisemaker: a surprisingly versatile native vst synth, ported by Disthro
Hydrogen: grid based pattern/beat design, make custom kits from your samples.
Guitarix2: nice features, flexibility, and sound, for the guitarist.

For fx, the calf, invada, and mda collections, and rakarrack, are very useful.
Zita, and the Disthro ported TALs provide a nice reverb set.

DAWs/sequencers: although there are quite a few out there,
I prefer reaper in wine, to the native linux apps,
it's easy to do the simple things I enjoy.

There is some degree of ideology/idolatry/politics/religion among
the linux using developers/users/musicians. For example,
hosting a bitwig demo installer in a popular repository,
was deemed verboten. Isolation from the real world,
a kind of self imposed tyrrany !sweet!
Although there are some very helpful linux users out there,
I would rate linux help forums only 4 out of ten stars,
because a lot of answers to help requests, seem either incomplete,
or minimal.

For the record, the only windows apps I have that don't work right in linux/wineasio,
are Headcase, and Rhino, either of which are worth keeping a windows partition.
Collections from U-he, Native Instruments, IK, AlgoMusic, Ugo, Wusik,
HG Fortune, and more, are very reliable, in modest projects.
There are a few reaper power users, who say their linux setups run great
on large complex projects.

For those without money, linux audio is great, for those with money,
if it ain't broke, don't fix it. For those interested in some great apps,
enjoyable system flexibility, who are willing to follow the narrower
hardware road, and pass an OS learning curve, you aren't limited
to the offerings of corporate giants.
Cheers

[Lost_Highway]

Lots and lots of sensible stuff

The repository strategy to follow, is set your package manager to retain
downloaded packages, then move them to keep as backups. Reinstall
crucial apps, to access their packages for backup, downloaded packages
are often found in /var/cache/ sub-folders

I have a folder where I keep backups of things I download, such as linuxDSP and Ardour updates and, in the past, LinuxSampler-packages-that-worked (from various PPAs), but I'd never thought about backing up things from the repositories. That's a very good idea, thanks!

[glokraw]

Thanks for the kind words! Another thing I do is keep a folder
with all the dependencies and config files needed to set up
internet connections, and jackd audio, so it's easy to boot
live cd/dvd's of new distros that may lack those by default,
and be up-and-running o use the distros package manager.

And I keep a folder of tips and lengthy-but-great command strings,
that are easy to fetch when a synapse or three have gone AWOL

/usr/bin/alsa_in -j yamaha -d hw:0,0 "M Audio Audiophile 24/96" -q 1 2>&1 1> /dev/null

With this, I can use my usb guitar amp as the input soundcard/asio device,
and run this command to use my yamaha keyboard, and it's drum machine,
as a second input device, have a reaper based sequencer/synth with midi-out
play the yamaha's selected sounds, and vsts/linux synths, cpu dependant,
with the drums playing, while jamming about on the guitar. Loads of fun!
Cheers

[WilliamK]

Well, Wusik 4000 is 100% JUCE based, so a Linux port could happen if we would get more support from users and some help by someone who knows how to deal this, as I'm already swamped here...

[bigcat1969]

What stops me using Linux. Experience. It also stops me eating flies.
Based on an admitted limited, unscientific 70,000 page view sample on my blog, 6% of the world of musician type people who like freebies use IE. Chrome leads at 39%, followed by Firefox at 34% and Safari at 15%. Nothing else tops 1%.
Country wise that's based on roughly 40% US and 35% EU with the rest scattered across the world.
OS you ask? 66% Windows, 23% Mac, 4% Linux, 2% IPad, nothing else tops 1%.