linuxaudio.org

On Wed, Dec 21, 2005 at 10:09:01AM -0500, Dave Phillips wrote:

quoted text
>

> However, the "command-line is better" argument is not one that gets made

> so often anymore when it comes to Linux sound and music applications.

> With the exceptions of the ALSA utilities, ecasound, and SoX, I'm not

> sure what CLI soundapps are in common use. Every notable Linux soundapp

> is a full-bore GUI-laden application these days. GUI front-ends are

> available even for ecasound and SoX.

As someone who only uses the console, I can tell you that CLI-based

music applications are pretty scarce: if it weren't for ecasound, the

JACK utilities, and a few other tools, life would be pretty bleak

indeed. For example, I recently wanted to have a poke at synths: there

is a staggering number of synths available for Linux (modular synths,

emulators, you name it), but finding one that doesn't require a GUI is

quite a challenge. I'm not saying whether this is good or bad, just that

I don't think very many people still use the console for music-making,

except a few old-timers and people unable or unwilling to use the GUI.

As far as the CLI vs. GUI argument goes, I see it that way:

- GUI is like geting what you paid for instantaneously.

- The CLI is like investing so you can buy something you might not

  otherwise be able to afford.
S.M.

quoted text
>

> I believe the primary reasons more musicians don't use Linux have to do

> with at least these conditions:

>

>  1. The perpetuation of outmoded perceptions re: usability and interfaces.

>  2. The lack of wide hardware manufacturer support.

>  3. The reticence of the major music journals to cover the growing

> Linux audio scene.

>  4. The lack of serious attention given Linux audio from within the

> larger Linux community itself.

>  5. No-one has released a hit created with Linux audio tools.

>

> Point 4 is particularly irritating. See the email traffic on the LAD

> list regarding the WINE team's misperception of JACK and subsequent

> no-starter attitude towards integrating better JACK support. I believe

> that developers of browsers and other commonly used software have a

> tendency to ignore audio issues wrt their programs. Overall, there's too

> little cooperation and shared understanding between the audio community

> and other development domains (video, browser sound support, emulation

> systems, etc.)

>

> The second point is certainly a show-stopper for folks arriving from

> Win/Mac systems who discover their hardware is not now supported and

> likely never will be supported under Linux. They won't care that the

> situation is due to the manufacturers, they'll just turn away from

> having to make an apparently needless investment. Alas, I've seen very

> little indication that the situation is going to change soon.

>

> >what we need, though, is much higher level full-featured and specialized

> >languages (music, 3d, graphics), integrated in a friendly visual (gui)

> >environment. not just microsoft/mac-style... "yes/no check-boxes".

> >

> >

> Perhaps you should look into the latest development in Csound5, Common

> Music, and Pd ?

>

> Best,

>

> dp

>

> 

--

smassy@sdf.lonestar.org