<div class="gmail_quote">(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...</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">
On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 2:03 PM, Kurt Nimmo <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kanimmo@gmail.com">kanimmo@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
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.</blockquote>
<div><br></div><div>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!).</div>
<div><br></div><div>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).</div>
<div><br></div><div>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. </div>
<div><br></div><div>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).</div>
<div><br></div><div>Can somebody tell me how to run ProTools with a Hammerfall card?</div><div>Preferably on Linux. Ha!</div><div><br></div><div>./MiS</div></div>