[linux-audio-dev] Fwd Windows vs Linux, VST vs Mucos etc

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Subject: [linux-audio-dev] Fwd Windows vs Linux, VST vs Mucos etc
From: Benno Senoner (sbenno_AT_gardena.net)
Date: pe helmi  25 2000 - 14:47:59 EST


Hi LAD folks,
I am forwarding a private mail between Michel Jullian this to the
linux-audio-dev list , maybe someone of you has some good arguments to convince
him that VST is not the way to go for a really flexible plugin ideas.
(If you reply please CC him because he is not on the list).

I agree with Michel that VST on Linux would instantly bring a myriad
of plugins, soft-synths etc to Linux,
but I have two arguments against it:

- VST license is proprietary (we want an open standard without being slaves of
  a single company ( M$ was enough)
- VST is not the best possible plugin-API as we figured out here on the list.
   ( hardwired MIDI , not very flexible event handling etc, .. just ask David
Olofson)

Steinberg are nice people and I think they are considering the Linux platform
as soon it becomes a viable solution,
but I strictly refuse to adopt a proprietary API as "official" linux audio API,
it wouldn't work at all.

I am hoping that as soon as Mucos shows up (we have to exit from the vaporware
status and enter in a pre-pre-alpha state :-) ),
and becomes somewhat functional, audio software vendors will join our efforts to
improve the API, just like it happened to the linux kernel.

What we could provide meanwhile is a way to "import" VST plugins,
like the DirectX to VST translator under Windows, so that a Mucos host can
run VST plugins too.
And looking at the technical details , I think that it wouldn't be too
difficult to implement.

Any thoughts ?

Benno.

---- forwarded mail -------

On Fri, 25 Feb 2000, Michel Jullian wrote:
> Benno Senoner wrote:
>
> (a lot of very interesting info, many thanks)
> ...
> >> We will design a very powerful plugin API, similar to VST,
> > but more flexible and much better :-)
> ...
>
> WHY don't you use the VST2 architecture itself and contribute to improving it
> via the vst-plugins list ? This way :
>
> - All you have to do is port/improve (with Steinberg's help I'm sure) the VST
> architecture (basically this will boil down to the VSTGUI.lib which is an
> already cross-platform (currently PC, Mac and BeOS) GUI library for drawing
> panels and controls)
> - You make it easier for host developers (especially Steinberg) to take the
> jump, as they won't have to believe/invest in a new architecture AS WELL AS a
> new OS !!! If the big fishes don't jump at once, a smaller one can develop a
> very simple host (we are developing one for Windows and could be talked into
> porting it to Linux), which would initiate a market for plugins under Linux.
> - Then basically all plugin developers will have to do is recompile so they
> WILL jump and there you are : plenty of soft synths and fx instantly available
> for Linux, and this in turn will boost the market for hosts.
>
> Wouldn't this make more sense, or am I missing something ? I know vst is
> proprietary (=bad in Linux land) but it's now open to all for both hosts and
> plugins, and Steinberg does listen to (and implement !) 3rd party suggestions
> to improve it : vst2 vs vst1 illustrates this.
>
> Charlie (who is a really nice guy, and spends quite a lot of time on the
> vst-plugins list) said some time ago he was open to the vst2 architecture
> being ported to Linux, I can dig out his email for you.
>
> --
> Greetings,
> Michel
> .........................................................................
> Michel Jullian Directeur General email exbang_AT_wanadoo.fr
> Exbang Industries S.A.
> Mas Chauvain route de Villeneuve tel +33(0) 499 529 878
> Maurin 34970 Lattes France fax +33(0) 499 529 879
> .........................................................................
> .


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