Re: [LAU] Audio Distribution Proposal...

On Wednesday 03 June 2009 03:09:32 pm jrogers wrote:
> > Message: 28
> > Date: Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:54:22 +0300
> > From: Asmo Koskinen <asmo.koskinen@email-addr-hidden>
> > Subject: Re: [LAU] ubuntu realtime.
>
> I did not take quotes from the following link because the whole thing
> deserves a (re)read
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-studio-users/2009-April/004507.htm
>l
>
> This bummed be out so I had to quote this:
> > Almost down for the count, Cory K.
>
> The note was a plea for help so I would like to see what we can do.
>
> There are so many things to discuss and so many possible directions to go
> in… Just thinking about it can be overwhelming…
>
> Free (not free beer, but “freedom”) is wonderful, but it ironically can be
> more paralyzing than “confinement”, so let me start with a simple and self
> limiting proposal:
>
> I tried to write this list a few times, and every time it got too long and
> complicated. At the risk of being flamed here is my “simple” list:
>
> - Manual install (like arch Linux) is fine and probably preferred. (manual
> is fine, but complete default instructions would be needed)
> - specific hardware (i.e. motherboard, video card and audio interface) is
> fine - most/all of the “popular” audio apps with a kernel that combined to
> create a system that was extremely stable and had reasonable latency (less
> than 10ms? Or maybe less than 7ms? What ever can be done with reasonable
> and reliable settings?)
> - I would donate at least $100 per year (If a thousand people joined me
> that would be $100K… Could one person full time, or several people
> part-time sign up for that?
> - I would donate a few years in advance… say three years… (If this would
> help someone/some-few decide to do this)
> - I would also help out. This assumes the individual or small core team
> would dedicate sufficient time to partition the tasks in a way that would
> facilitate widespread involvement.
>
> Questions:
>
> Ignoring resources (money, people, etc) is it reasonable to build and
> maintain such a distribution?
>
> Is $100k per year enough? If not how much is needed?
>
> Are 1000 users at $100 reasonable to expect? How about 2000 at $50? Or 500
> at $200 (I would consider donating $200/year) Strike that… If this existed
> today I would donate $200.
>
>
> I know that the conventional wisdom is that Linux audio is not for “new
> Linux users” but I think that is the root of the “chicken/egg” problem that
> we have here. A predictable, stable, reliable audio distribution may
> generate the support that the particular distribution (and Linux audio in
> general) needs to get to the next level.
>
> Can we “prime this pump” with a conservative but very useful distribution?
>
===============================================
  I am at best a wannbe audiophile with graphics and cine schemes. Linux
capable but not any guru. I have attended the LAU, UbuntuStudio, CCRMA lists
for several years. I have run Linux versions ranging from Slackware, Redhat {
several releases }, Fedora, Debian { a couple of releases }, Ubuntu { several
releases }. I have marveled at the social phenomena of Linux, GNU, and open
source software and have witnessed a couple of beached whales.
  Debian's philosophy is stability and reliability. Ubuntu is more "bleeding
edge" and runs by the clock to have a rap prior to the chime for when the
next new release is due. Unfortunately Ubuntu Studio seems to be driven by
the same chime but with more stringent goals to meet, one of which is
this "realtime" dilemma, especially where there does not seem to be a real
kernel guru on the team. Add the pulseaudio mess, uncertainties of major
audio packages, positionalities of personalities, and etcetera the resultant
chaos becomes certain. Consequently major efforts such as cinelerra have to
be sidelined.
  I suspect the first design flaw is pandering to the clock. Another problem
is the information curve was being ignored in UbuntuStudio to help the new to
fully comprehend what UbuntuStudio is technically so more would have stepped
forward to contribute to the development effort. From what I observed,
UbuntuStudio could have drawn more from the LAU & LAD knowledge base. Just
exactly how, I do not know, other than I suspect a lot of missed
opportunities were possible. Meanwhile I am certain Gates and crew are
having a chuckle.
  So before we throw dollars at it I suspect a well thought out analysis would
be in order.
Hope this is of use.
Tom

_______________________________________________
Linux-audio-user mailing list
Linux-audio-user@email-addr-hidden
http://lists.linuxaudio.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-audio-user
Received on Thu Jun 4 04:15:02 2009