[microsound] On impossibility of linux

[Michal Seta]

(please excuse the new subject line but the old one got digested under the
non-geeky control of a Mac operator) - oups.... sorry for the sarcasm...

On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 2:03 PM, Kurt Nimmo <kanimmo at gmail.com> wrote:

> Sorry for the sarcasm. Point is if you are going to produce music on a
> personal computer you have so few choices. Linux is impossible unless you
> are a Linux geek and have the time to scour to forums and find out how to
> get things to work right.


That's not exactly accurate.  It is impossible to make music with linux if
you want to use the tools that are made for other platforms (as you have
found out, that said, I had ableton live running in Wine some time ago but
it was not exactly usable).  But have you ever tried to play a trumpet the
way you would play a guitar (or vice-versa for that matter?)?  The choices
of tools to make music on personal computer are pretty much infinite (maybe
not, if you limit yourself!).

Correct me if I am wrong but you are simply taking for granted the knowledge
you have gained by using your current platform.  Whether it's Windows or
MacOS, each system has its quirks, bugs, workarounds and various tools that
are required to take full advantage of it.  I have been using linux for the
past 15 years.  Recently I was in a situation where I had to use a Mac for
an audio-visual project.  Guess what, I was banging my head against various
walls just because the system does not work the way it should (at least in
my linux geek opinion, which is the only correct way, right?).  If I want to
convert a video, I open a terminal I type ffmpeg with some options and I get
what I want.  On a Mac, what do I do?  I have to buy QuickTIme pro, find out
that the codec I want to convert to, is not supported, find a third party
software, learn it (just like you would have to learn ffmpeg's command line
options),  try it, find out that the software requires some additional
plugin and by the time I figured it out it informs me that my trial period
has run out and I have to buy a licence to use it.  But I have not yet tried
it and, as far as I can see, it cannot even do the simple transcode.  There
were other things that I needed to do but did not know how so I sought
advice from colleagues who had more experience with the platform (i.e. MacOS
geeks).  Mac OS simply does not "just work(tm)".  Yes, it "just works(tm)"
for email, internet and admiring pretty interface but beyond that you have
to learn some skills.  So don't you tell me that you don't have any "under
the hood" knowledge of MacOS.  If you do have such knowledge to some extent
(because we will agree that "under the hood" in MacOS and linux simply don't
reach the same depths), then you are a MacOS geek and let me remash your
statement: Mac is impossible to use for creative work unless you're a Mac
geek and you have the time to scour to forums and find out how things work
(I bet a buck that you have been to Ableton Forums even though it is such a
simple program).  Oh, and the cash to spend on applications which exist
simply because Apple does not provide the functionality because they prefer
to keep you locked in their formats, codecs and standards (which change
every so often, mind you, how many types of video output plugs have you seen
on a mac in the past 10 years?).  And I won't even mention DRM (although,
for people involved with digital creativity it should be top priority).

Just like in linux, software is buggy, it crashes, it makes you loose data,
it makes you pull your hair out, it makes you swear.  Yes, some applications
are more mature, but that's not the system's fault, it comes down to the
time span that such things are in existence.  Linux design philosophy is
also different.  It does not assume that users are stupid.  In the contrary,
it permits the user to tweak and customize every single aspect of the OS, it
gives her more control.  The workflow on linux is certainly different, it
certainly is not for everyone.  These are choices we make.  Not only about
the OS but software and hardware.  However, some manufacturers do not want
you to make choices.

That said, yes, I appreciated the month or so I worked full-time on a
MacBook Pro (or something).  Even within the first few days I said "I think
I could get used to this thing!" with a grin and twinkle in my eye.  My
partner looked at me in disbelief.  However, a month later I was happy to be
back in Linux.  I appreciate some of the ideas behind MacOS and certain
aspects that make your life easier but I would not be wiling to trade the
freedom and control I have over Linux (and I spare you the lecture about
licences, open-source and other stuff that also is very relevant.  I do have
other things to do at the moment).

Can somebody tell me how to run ProTools with a Hammerfall card?
Preferably on Linux. Ha!

./MiS
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