minthaka

Obviously the audio part of the Linux is the worst part of the entire system.
I'm trying to have a real audio experience on Linux since 4 years, but I think that day will never dawn. Why there's no possibility to have an all in one kernel for all purposes? I'm using a wide range of applications. My favorite would be Ardour. But it is based on a farting called jack. I had to see how people are putting their efforts into developing something like PulseAudio, which is 0% needed and useful and at the same time leaving xruns from kernels untouched. I'm getting convinced that a Linux kernel is the worst piece of software ever written. I love Linux, but how on earth can it happen, that a crippled OS like Windows has a perfect audio system, with no real-time issues, no overruns, and other ********s so characteristic for Linux. What is the point in monolithic kernel, if we have to bow before the PC if its audio system works normally? Can somebody explain me why is audio so bad?
Please, don't tell me "You should use UbuntuStudio, ..." for audio purposes. This answer is simply not acceptable. Should I install for each task a separate OS?
A Linux for graphics, another for music creation, a third one for office...
I even would help develop some applications, but it seems to me, that the kernel itself is sick. Any Linux audio professional here?

Intel Celeron-D 2.66 GHz
1.5 GB RAM
Audigy 2

That would make rock'n roll on Windows!

__________________
"Love never dies - Love never denies,
Love never lies - Love desperately cries,
Unto the other side,
Unto the unborn child in your eyes." (Saviour Machine)
Linux Usert#430188

coopstah13

Hardware vendors who know the specifications of their hardware put out the driver for windows, which is why it works so well. They leave it up to us to figure it out for linux.

hugortega

Free Software World: If something don't like to you, there are two options (1) help to improve it or (2) don't use it ... If you say that you can help with some hacks, you're welcome.

__________________
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Transmogrifox

It sounds like the problem is not whether these applications *can* work flawlessly on Linux, but it's more a question of whether they *do* by default. If you were manning a professional studio, you would be either:
A) Invest your money in proprietary products based on Mac or Windows.
B) Invest your money in a consultant or support company to configure a production machine running Linux and Open Source & free software. This person (or company) would start with hardware that is well supported by Linux, and likely compile a custom Kernel with a real-time patch.
C) Invest your time in accomplishing B by yourself.
D) Wait until people who are doing B and C to release the fruits of their efforts to the FOSS community.

I think people who complain about FOSS don't have any right to be using it, because they aren't contributing anything helpful to the community of developers who make it better.

I personally think Jack is a superior application to the Mac and Windows low latency solutions. I am using Debian Lenny on a PPC (ibook G4), 1G RAM, 1.33GHz processor. With stock Debian Kernel, I can get less than 5ms latency without Xruns. I only get Xruns when I'm trying to do too much at once, particularly with gui applications. This principle is true regardless of the operating system.

What you say is true, that by default, Linux is not an optimal Realtime operating system. As time goes on, I speculate real-time capability may be built into a stock distribution kernel, but doing this is much larger than satisfying a few disgruntled audio users. The same OS is the foundation of many enterprise servers. Kernel hacks are not acceptable defaults.

The postitive side of Linux is that you, the user, have full control to apply your own kernel patches, and configure the system for a very specialized purpose with performance that exceeds that of the proprietary counterpart.

However, this level of configuration requires a lot of time and/or a lot of money, so it's not free as in free beer, but very much free as in freedom.

This is just my 2 cents. I am no kernel expert, and more a dabbler in Linux and computing.

I happen to be guitarist/hobbyist and find Linux to be excellent for my needs. I have read news posts and such about Linux being a success for professionals, but have no personal experience in the professional music industry. Please weigh my comments with that disclaimer