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