Re: [linux-audio-user] icky low level linux stuff

New Message Reply About this list Date view Thread view Subject view Author view Other groups

Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] icky low level linux stuff
From: Mitch Pirtle (lists_linuxaudiousers_AT_spacemonkeylabs.com)
Date: Sat Jul 27 2002 - 15:35:14 EEST


(and suddenly, a lurker appears)

Hi everyone. (steps out of bushes)

First off, I don't understand why everyone else on the Internet seems to
get along with simply putting "newbie" in the subject line --- but here
in linux audio land that's just not acceptable. If a newbie asks a
question, I suppose that even if he mentions his newbie status that
he'll get the useless-for-a-newbie answer... Sad.

It should be plain and simple: if you see "newbie" in the subject,
please don't just reply with a microsoft answer (correct-but-useless)
like "Oh, you need the low latency patch" or worse, "you need the LLP".

And yes, I think linux audio needs a FAQ bigtime. I'll help with it,
even though I don't do audio on linux, just to see it get done.

(dons asbestos underwear)

This is my shameful story with linux & audio:

I'm one of these 'dumb' people who install packaged kernels, install
apps with packages, and expect the people who wrote the software to deal
with the basic installation efforts for their software (dependencies?
you wrote the software, you deal with 'em!). I even do the
unthinkable: I expect it to WORK.

I use linux for server-side stuff and network management/monitoring. I
have compiled my own kernels, and also built applications from source.
For years - I remember the 2.0 series being "new". I *can* do these
things. But you know what? I won't, at least not anymore. I have
other more important things to do. And I think many people who use
computers feel that way. This is the biggest barrier to linux adoption
on the desktop, as even folks on this list suggest dual-booting until
the command line becomes second nature.

I think that's nuts. Linux should be able to do the same thing, and
provide the human with an opportunity to have a working system after the
install. THEN the user can use the system, all the while getting bits
and pieces of information here, a little there...

From an audio perspective, I see little difference after installing
RH7.3 then I did with RH4.2. Amazing that I can get SMP support,
traffic shaping, network management, webserving, journaled filesystems,
security auditing, and relational databases after a default install -
but no audio (or MP3-only audio with no real support). Absolutely
amazing. Linux has a long ways to go in this respect.

Also, I'm in a M$-free home. I'm certainly not going to fdisk a
perfectly good machine and purchase a license for XP just to play with
digital audio on the side.

And alas, my music is restricted to meatspace. Maybe when I get a new
machine I'll try again, but this time also with a FAT partition in case
I do get something serious like a Delta66. I want to make music, not
debug ./configure && make && make install.

Maybe that's my biggest problem. ;-P I'm perfectly happy doing my own
oilchanges; but the linux-audio oilchange requires me to go build my own
oil rig and petroleum processing facility!

I gave up on linux & audio months ago, after maybe 15 - 20 aborted
attempts to get ALSA up and going on either my laptop or my main machine
at home. No joke, I tried custom kernels, packaged kernels, different
disto versions, the works. When I finally got ALSA going on my machine
at home, there was the dreaded kernel security update. *BOOM* And the
new, 'secure' kernel and ALSA would never dance. When I got my laptop
going, I never did figure out how to sync a digital drum machine (like
Trommeler) to tracks recorded on the HDD. So what is the digital
equivalent so dropping a SMPTE time track and syncing the drum machine
until all the *other* tracks are done and *then* committing the drums to
tape/disk? Browsing all the linux sound apps lists provided no such
clue as to how I could do this in the digital world. Of course it was a
moot point as my laptop needed the kernel update anyway. (rimshot) On
a humorous note, I even tried to unsubscribe from the LAU list, but the
request never seemed to get processed. Seems like I just can't get my
two favorite things (music & linux) together!

And my advice to others who ask just me --- that just breaks my heart.
I have to say "Well man, I couldn't get it to build, and the brief time
it did, I couldn't make anything go anyway." And they walk away
thinking "Wow, if he can't do it, then we never will..."

So go ahead, be nasty to me - or just persecute me for giving up - but
please, PLEASE try to come to grips with the fact that not all people
using linux are 3l337 h4x0rz; and many don't want to be. Try not to
belittle or bemoan someone for wanting to give it a shot and needing
obvious help, ok?

(steps back into bushes)


New Message Reply About this list Date view Thread view Subject view Author view Other groups

This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Sat Jul 27 2002 - 15:39:25 EEST