KXStudio 12.04 release plans

[beepo]

I'm having trouble to get wineasio working on kxstudio. I'm running updated Ubuntu 12.04 64bit. Initial installation was Ubuntustudio based.

wineasio package installs fine (tried also reinstall) but I'm not able to regsrv32 wineasio.dll. It says that it can't load the dll file. The wine config audio tab looks weird. Just few dropdowns and no possibility to select from multiple audio drivers as with older versions. No asio driver there. (it has been a while when I've been playing with these things

Tried also install reaper package if it would solve the trouble but got the following

Code: Select all

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 default-jre : Depends: default-jre-headless (= 1:1.6-43ubuntu2) but it is not going to be installed
               Depends: openjdk-6-jre (>= 6b23~pre11-1ubuntu1~) but it is not going to be installed
 openssh-client : Depends: adduser (>= 3.10) but it is not going to be installed
 reaper:i386 : Depends: wine1.4:i386 but it is not going to be installed or
                        wine1.3:i386 or
                        wine1.2:i386 or
                        wine:i386
               Recommends: wineasio:i386 but it is not going to be installed
               Recommends: jackd:i386 but it is not going to be installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.

Should the wine / wineasio work properly on x86_64? Sorry if this was a wrong thread for this post..

[falkTX]

The wineasio package still requires some work to work on 64bit (need to make it multiarch).

You should try:
1 - install wine, and make sure 32bit apps work there
2 - get JACK 32bit libs
sudo apt-get install libjack0:i386
3 - get wineasio 32bits only
sudo apt-get remove wineasio wineasio:i386
sudo apt-get install wineasio:i386
4 - install reaper
sudo apt-get install reaper:i386

try those in order, and let me know how it goes.
this new multiarch thing kills me...
getting festige to build and work was a pain...

[beepo]

Hi and thanks for the quick reply

I have wine working again and running 23bit vst host. However when I try to install the wineasio:i386 the removed packages list looks too scary for me.. It seems that the whole install including kxstudio would be gone.

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get install wineasio:i386
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  syslinux gir1.2-gmenu-3.0 kxstudio-docs composite-data gir1.2-gnomekeyring-1.0 syslinux-legacy libcrypt-passwdmd5-perl libboost-python1.46.1 libindicate-gtk3 mypaint-data libmagick++4
  syslinux-common dcraw catarina libbluedevil1 libsexy2 gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1 python-pyexiv2-doc libflickcurl0 rtmpdump fuseiso9660 libdebconf-kde0 dkms liblensfun-data libgtkspell-3-0
  liblensfun0 exiftran gir1.2-gudev-1.0 xcftools gir1.2-launchpad-integration-3.0 libgutenprintui2-1 catia libdbus-glib-1-2:i386
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libdbus-glib-1-2:i386
Recommended packages:
  jackd:i386
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  a2jmidid acroread alacarte apparmor apparmor-utils apport apport-gtk apport-hooks-medibuntu apt-xapian-index aptdaemon apturl apturl-common apturl-kde arandr ardour bluedevil bluez bluez-alsa
  cadence cadence-data cadence-tools carla-control catfish checkbox checkbox-gtk claudia command-not-found compiz compiz-gnome compiz-plugins-main compiz-plugins-main-default
  compizconfig-backend-gconf composite computer-janitor computer-janitor-gtk darktable eog evolution-data-server ffado-dbus-server ffado-mixer-qt4 ffado-tools firefox firefox-globalmenu
  firefox-gnome-support foo2zjs foomatic-db-compressed-ppds furiusisomount gconf-editor gconf2 gdb gdebi gdebi-core gdebi-kde gdm gedit gimp gimp-cbmplugs gimp-dcraw gimp-dimage-color gimp-gap
  gimp-gluas gimp-gmic gimp-gutenprint gimp-plugin-registry gimp-resynthesizer gimp-texturize gir1.2-peas-1.0 gir1.2-rb-3.0 gir1.2-totem-1.0 gir1.2-ubuntuoneui-3.0 gksu gnome-applets
  gnome-applets-data gnome-bluetooth gnome-control-center gnome-doc-utils gnome-media gnome-menus gnome-panel gnome-panel-data gnome-raw-thumbnailer gnome-search-tool gnome-session-fallback
  gnome-terminal gnome-terminal-data gnome-user-share gnome-utils grdesktop gstreamer0.10-gconf gwibber gwibber-service gwibber-service-facebook gwibber-service-identica gwibber-service-twitter
  hplip hplip-data ia32-libs ibus ibus-m17n ibus-table icaclient indicator-datetime indicator-power inkscape invada-studio-plugins-lv2 jack-mixer jack-rack jackd jackd-firewire jamin jockey-common
  jockey-gtk jockey-kde kde-config-touchpad klaudia kxstudio-desktop kxstudio-desktop-base kxstudio-desktop-xfce kxstudio-meta-all kxstudio-meta-audio kxstudio-meta-audio-plugins
  kxstudio-meta-audio-plugins-lv2 kxstudio-meta-audio-plugins-vamp kxstudio-meta-codecs kxstudio-meta-graphics kxstudio-meta-restricted-extras kxstudio-repos kxstudio-welcome ladish
  language-selector-common language-selector-gnome launchpad-integration libbonoboui2-0 libcanberra-gtk-module libcanberra-gtk3-module libcompizconfig0 libconfig++8 libffado2 libgksu2-0
  libgladeui-1-11 libgnome-media-profiles-3.0-0 libgnome-vfsmm-2.6-1c2a libgnome2-0 libgnome2-common libgnome2-perl libgnome2-vfs-perl libgnomemm-2.6-1c2 libgnomeui-0 libgnomeuimm-2.6-1c2a
  libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-common libgnomevfs2-extra libgweather-3-0 libgweather-common libgwibber-gtk2 libgwibber2 libmetacity-private0 libmuonprivate1 libpeas-1.0-0 libpython2.7
  librhythmbox-core5 libswt-gnome-gtk-3-jni libsyncdaemon-1.0-1 libtotem0 libubuntuoneui-3.0-1 libxine1-all-plugins libxine1-gnome lsb-release lv2fil meld mercurial mercurial-common metacity
  metacity-common meterbridge muon muon-notifier muon-updater mypaint nautilus-share network-manager-gnome nvidia-common oneconf openjdk-7-jre openprinting-ppds phatch phatch-cli
  printer-driver-foo2zjs printer-driver-ptouch printer-driver-pxljr printer-driver-sag-gdi printer-driver-splix ptouch-driver pxljr python python-appindicator python-apport python-apt
  python-aptdaemon python-aptdaemon-gtk python-aptdaemon.gtk3widgets python-aptdaemon.gtkwidgets python-aptdaemon.pkcompat python-cairo python-central python-chardet python-configglue python-crypto
  python-cups python-cupshelpers python-dateutil python-dbus python-debian python-debtagshw python-defer python-dirspec python-egenix-mxdatetime python-egenix-mxtools python-fpconst python-gconf
  python-gdbm python-gi python-gi-cairo python-glade2 python-gmenu python-gnome2 python-gnomekeyring python-gnupginterface python-gobject python-gobject-2 python-gst0.10 python-gtk2
  python-gtksourceview2 python-gtkspell python-httplib2 python-ibus python-imaging python-indicate python-kde4 python-keyring python-launchpad-integration python-launchpadlib
  python-lazr.restfulclient python-lazr.uri python-liblo python-libproxy python-libxml2 python-lxml python-mako python-markupsafe python-minimal python-notify python-numpy python-oauth
  python-openssl python-packagekit python-pam python-pexpect python-piston-mini-client python-pkg-resources python-problem-report python-protobuf python-pyasn1 python-pycurl python-pyexiv2
  python-pygoocanvas python-pyinotify python-pyorbit python-pyudev python-qt4 python-qt4-dbus python-rdflib python-renderpm python-reportlab python-reportlab-accel python-serial python-simplejson
  python-sip python-smbc python-software-properties python-support python-twisted python-twisted-bin python-twisted-conch python-twisted-core python-twisted-lore python-twisted-mail
  python-twisted-names python-twisted-news python-twisted-runner python-twisted-web python-twisted-words python-ubuntu-sso-client python-ubuntuone-client python-ubuntuone-control-panel
  python-ubuntuone-storageprotocol python-uniconvertor python-vte python-wadllib python-webkit python-wnck python-wsgi-intercept python-wxgtk2.8 python-wxversion python-xapian python-xdg
  python-xkit python-zeitgeist python-zope.interface python2.7 python2.7-minimal qjackctl qtractor rakarrack rastertosag-gdi rhythmbox rhythmbox-mozilla rhythmbox-plugin-cdrecorder
  rhythmbox-plugin-zeitgeist rhythmbox-plugins rhythmbox-ubuntuone sessioninstaller software-center software-center-aptdaemon-plugins software-properties-common software-properties-gtk
  software-properties-kde splix system-config-printer-common system-config-printer-gnome system-config-printer-kde system-config-printer-udev texlive-extra-utils totem totem-mozilla totem-plugins
  ttf-mscorefonts-installer ubufox ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-sso-client ubuntu-sso-client-qt ubuntu-standard ubuntu-system-service ubuntuone-client ubuntuone-control-panel
  ubuntuone-control-panel-common ubuntuone-control-panel-gtk ubuntuone-control-panel-qt ubuntuone-installer ubuntustudio-audio-plugins ubuntustudio-default-settings ubuntustudio-desktop ufw
  unattended-upgrades unity unity-common unity-lens-applications unity-lens-video unity-scope-musicstores unity-scope-video-remote update-manager update-manager-core update-manager-kde
  update-notifier update-notifier-common usb-creator-common usb-creator-gtk usb-creator-kde vampy vim virtualbox-4.1 vuze xchat xchat-common xul-ext-ubufox youtube-dl zeitgeist zeitgeist-core
  zeitgeist-datahub zynjacku
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libdbus-glib-1-2:i386 wineasio:i386
WARNING: The following essential packages will be removed.
This should NOT be done unless you know exactly what you are doing!
  python-minimal python2.7-minimal (due to python-minimal)
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 380 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 97.9 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,091 MB disk space will be freed.
You are about to do something potentially harmful.


[falkTX]

Hi and thanks for the quick reply

I have wine working again and running 23bit vst host. However when I try to install the wineasio:i386 the removed packages list looks too scary for me.. It seems that the whole install including kxstudio would be gone.

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get install wineasio:i386
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  syslinux gir1.2-gmenu-3.0 kxstudio-docs composite-data gir1.2-gnomekeyring-1.0 syslinux-legacy libcrypt-passwdmd5-perl libboost-python1.46.1 libindicate-gtk3 mypaint-data libmagick++4
  syslinux-common dcraw catarina libbluedevil1 libsexy2 gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1 python-pyexiv2-doc libflickcurl0 rtmpdump fuseiso9660 libdebconf-kde0 dkms liblensfun-data libgtkspell-3-0
  liblensfun0 exiftran gir1.2-gudev-1.0 xcftools gir1.2-launchpad-integration-3.0 libgutenprintui2-1 catia libdbus-glib-1-2:i386
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libdbus-glib-1-2:i386
Recommended packages:
  jackd:i386
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  a2jmidid acroread alacarte apparmor apparmor-utils apport apport-gtk apport-hooks-medibuntu apt-xapian-index aptdaemon apturl apturl-common apturl-kde arandr ardour bluedevil bluez bluez-alsa
  cadence cadence-data cadence-tools carla-control catfish checkbox checkbox-gtk claudia command-not-found compiz compiz-gnome compiz-plugins-main compiz-plugins-main-default
  compizconfig-backend-gconf composite computer-janitor computer-janitor-gtk darktable eog evolution-data-server ffado-dbus-server ffado-mixer-qt4 ffado-tools firefox firefox-globalmenu
  firefox-gnome-support foo2zjs foomatic-db-compressed-ppds furiusisomount gconf-editor gconf2 gdb gdebi gdebi-core gdebi-kde gdm gedit gimp gimp-cbmplugs gimp-dcraw gimp-dimage-color gimp-gap
  gimp-gluas gimp-gmic gimp-gutenprint gimp-plugin-registry gimp-resynthesizer gimp-texturize gir1.2-peas-1.0 gir1.2-rb-3.0 gir1.2-totem-1.0 gir1.2-ubuntuoneui-3.0 gksu gnome-applets
  gnome-applets-data gnome-bluetooth gnome-control-center gnome-doc-utils gnome-media gnome-menus gnome-panel gnome-panel-data gnome-raw-thumbnailer gnome-search-tool gnome-session-fallback
  gnome-terminal gnome-terminal-data gnome-user-share gnome-utils grdesktop gstreamer0.10-gconf gwibber gwibber-service gwibber-service-facebook gwibber-service-identica gwibber-service-twitter
  hplip hplip-data ia32-libs ibus ibus-m17n ibus-table icaclient indicator-datetime indicator-power inkscape invada-studio-plugins-lv2 jack-mixer jack-rack jackd jackd-firewire jamin jockey-common
  jockey-gtk jockey-kde kde-config-touchpad klaudia kxstudio-desktop kxstudio-desktop-base kxstudio-desktop-xfce kxstudio-meta-all kxstudio-meta-audio kxstudio-meta-audio-plugins
  kxstudio-meta-audio-plugins-lv2 kxstudio-meta-audio-plugins-vamp kxstudio-meta-codecs kxstudio-meta-graphics kxstudio-meta-restricted-extras kxstudio-repos kxstudio-welcome ladish
  language-selector-common language-selector-gnome launchpad-integration libbonoboui2-0 libcanberra-gtk-module libcanberra-gtk3-module libcompizconfig0 libconfig++8 libffado2 libgksu2-0
  libgladeui-1-11 libgnome-media-profiles-3.0-0 libgnome-vfsmm-2.6-1c2a libgnome2-0 libgnome2-common libgnome2-perl libgnome2-vfs-perl libgnomemm-2.6-1c2 libgnomeui-0 libgnomeuimm-2.6-1c2a
  libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-common libgnomevfs2-extra libgweather-3-0 libgweather-common libgwibber-gtk2 libgwibber2 libmetacity-private0 libmuonprivate1 libpeas-1.0-0 libpython2.7
  librhythmbox-core5 libswt-gnome-gtk-3-jni libsyncdaemon-1.0-1 libtotem0 libubuntuoneui-3.0-1 libxine1-all-plugins libxine1-gnome lsb-release lv2fil meld mercurial mercurial-common metacity
  metacity-common meterbridge muon muon-notifier muon-updater mypaint nautilus-share network-manager-gnome nvidia-common oneconf openjdk-7-jre openprinting-ppds phatch phatch-cli
  printer-driver-foo2zjs printer-driver-ptouch printer-driver-pxljr printer-driver-sag-gdi printer-driver-splix ptouch-driver pxljr python python-appindicator python-apport python-apt
  python-aptdaemon python-aptdaemon-gtk python-aptdaemon.gtk3widgets python-aptdaemon.gtkwidgets python-aptdaemon.pkcompat python-cairo python-central python-chardet python-configglue python-crypto
  python-cups python-cupshelpers python-dateutil python-dbus python-debian python-debtagshw python-defer python-dirspec python-egenix-mxdatetime python-egenix-mxtools python-fpconst python-gconf
  python-gdbm python-gi python-gi-cairo python-glade2 python-gmenu python-gnome2 python-gnomekeyring python-gnupginterface python-gobject python-gobject-2 python-gst0.10 python-gtk2
  python-gtksourceview2 python-gtkspell python-httplib2 python-ibus python-imaging python-indicate python-kde4 python-keyring python-launchpad-integration python-launchpadlib
  python-lazr.restfulclient python-lazr.uri python-liblo python-libproxy python-libxml2 python-lxml python-mako python-markupsafe python-minimal python-notify python-numpy python-oauth
  python-openssl python-packagekit python-pam python-pexpect python-piston-mini-client python-pkg-resources python-problem-report python-protobuf python-pyasn1 python-pycurl python-pyexiv2
  python-pygoocanvas python-pyinotify python-pyorbit python-pyudev python-qt4 python-qt4-dbus python-rdflib python-renderpm python-reportlab python-reportlab-accel python-serial python-simplejson
  python-sip python-smbc python-software-properties python-support python-twisted python-twisted-bin python-twisted-conch python-twisted-core python-twisted-lore python-twisted-mail
  python-twisted-names python-twisted-news python-twisted-runner python-twisted-web python-twisted-words python-ubuntu-sso-client python-ubuntuone-client python-ubuntuone-control-panel
  python-ubuntuone-storageprotocol python-uniconvertor python-vte python-wadllib python-webkit python-wnck python-wsgi-intercept python-wxgtk2.8 python-wxversion python-xapian python-xdg
  python-xkit python-zeitgeist python-zope.interface python2.7 python2.7-minimal qjackctl qtractor rakarrack rastertosag-gdi rhythmbox rhythmbox-mozilla rhythmbox-plugin-cdrecorder
  rhythmbox-plugin-zeitgeist rhythmbox-plugins rhythmbox-ubuntuone sessioninstaller software-center software-center-aptdaemon-plugins software-properties-common software-properties-gtk
  software-properties-kde splix system-config-printer-common system-config-printer-gnome system-config-printer-kde system-config-printer-udev texlive-extra-utils totem totem-mozilla totem-plugins
  ttf-mscorefonts-installer ubufox ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-sso-client ubuntu-sso-client-qt ubuntu-standard ubuntu-system-service ubuntuone-client ubuntuone-control-panel
  ubuntuone-control-panel-common ubuntuone-control-panel-gtk ubuntuone-control-panel-qt ubuntuone-installer ubuntustudio-audio-plugins ubuntustudio-default-settings ubuntustudio-desktop ufw
  unattended-upgrades unity unity-common unity-lens-applications unity-lens-video unity-scope-musicstores unity-scope-video-remote update-manager update-manager-core update-manager-kde
  update-notifier update-notifier-common usb-creator-common usb-creator-gtk usb-creator-kde vampy vim virtualbox-4.1 vuze xchat xchat-common xul-ext-ubufox youtube-dl zeitgeist zeitgeist-core
  zeitgeist-datahub zynjacku
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libdbus-glib-1-2:i386 wineasio:i386
WARNING: The following essential packages will be removed.
This should NOT be done unless you know exactly what you are doing!
  python-minimal python2.7-minimal (due to python-minimal)
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 380 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 97.9 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,091 MB disk space will be freed.
You are about to do something potentially harmful.


I agree something is not right there, I'll double check this and make it proper multiarch ASAP.
I'll reply here again when it's all set.

[beepo]

Thanks for your support!

By the way you mentioned festige and that works beautifully for my current purpose. It installed now without any pain and I can get testing some free VST plugins out there with easy to clean up environment

I'll try out your fix for wineasio when available and can also do some testing if it would help you in any way.

[falkTX]

ok, wineasio for 12.04 should be installable now. this time it will bring both 32bit and 64bit supported drivers.
just update, install it and and "regsvr32 wineasio.dll" as usual

on my testing I was able to get both 32bit and 64bit wine applications to see and use WineASIO.
let me know how it goes with you

[hebjuzeb]

Just a general nube question here, how long before the liveCD is ready? When it's released, how long should I wait while braver and more experienced pioneers dive in and seek out bugs? I've found that even with a regular Ubuntu release, it's usually a few months before the forums fill up with advise.

So for someone with a working Windows partition, is it really worth jumping in right away, or should I give it a while? (I have vanilla Pangolin working in Virtualbox and it works great so far.)

While I'm here, one quick question for anyone with an opinion:
I read somewhere (don't recall the source) that it's best to put KX repositories onto Ubuntu Studio rather than regular Ubuntu, is this true?

[falkTX]

Just a general nube question here, how long before the liveCD is ready? When it's released, how long should I wait while braver and more experienced pioneers dive in and seek out bugs? I've found that even with a regular Ubuntu release, it's usually a few months before the forums fill up with advise.

So for someone with a working Windows partition, is it really worth jumping in right away, or should I give it a while? (I have vanilla Pangolin working in Virtualbox and it works great so far.)

12.04 is already working great, but yes there are some minor issues right now.
If you want to play safe, wait for me to put out a KXStudio 12.04.1 release

While I'm here, one quick question for anyone with an opinion:
I read somewhere (don't recall the source) that it's best to put KX repositories onto Ubuntu Studio rather than regular Ubuntu, is this true?

Yes, 100% true. Ubuntu is not focused on multimedia, just look at Unity.
UbuntuStudio will be (apart from the Live-DVD) the prefered way to install KXStudio.

[i2productions]

falkTX, I wanted you to know that I am now a 100% supporter of using razor-qt! I've given it a real try for a few days now with both metacity and openbox and gotta say, BRAVO! I hope we see this as the KXStudio DE of choice! I'd never given it a real shot til now and I'm a changed man, thanks for the recommendation to try it!

I had to put an EDIT in here, because i realized I was under the trance of something new and shiney. It's a great desktop, and for audio use it's already the perfect candidate. But when I step back and look at the larger picture, it may not be as user friendly for a new user as some of the other new projects out there like cinnamon. I can't see myself using it for all my daily tasks. But for an audio workflow where I've got up to a dozen apps running at the same time, and i just want things to work and the desktop itself to be snappy and stay out of my way it's the best candidate I've seen!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Has anyone installed Ubuntu Studio and then KX Studio?

I'm trying in a VM, and just hitting dependency hell at every turn.

ok.... trying

$ sudo apt-get install kxstudio-desktop-xfce

And the end of the dependency-hell line was

Code: Select all

~$ sudo apt-get install kxstudio-desktop-base
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 kxstudio-desktop-base : Depends: klaudia but it is not installable
                         Recommends: kxstudio-artwork-plymouth but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
b12:~$ sudo apt-get install klaudia
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Package klaudia is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'klaudia' has no installation candidate


Curiously ... klaudia then installed from within Synaptic, and now everything seems to be flowing down the line. Work still in progress.

PS... there's a problem with meta-all, depends on meta-graphics "which is not going to be installed" too.

Installed meta-graphics, and meta-all is now flowing.

[GraysonPeddie]

So why isn't meta-graphics going to be installed if I'm installing meta-all? Beats me. It just does not make any sense. Heh heh.

[falkTX]

I was using old gimp-dcraw plugin instead of ufraw (which UbuntuStudio depends upon).

If you update now, it will be installable again (bug fixed )
thanks for the report!

[slowpick]

Just a general nube question here, how long before the liveCD is ready? When it's released, how long should I wait while braver and more experienced pioneers dive in and seek out bugs? I've found that even with a regular Ubuntu release, it's usually a few months before the forums fill up with advise.

So for someone with a working Windows partition, is it really worth jumping in right away, or should I give it a while? (I have vanilla Pangolin working in Virtualbox and it works great so far.)

While I'm here, one quick question for anyone with an opinion:
I read somewhere (don't recall the source) that it's best to put KX repositories onto Ubuntu Studio rather than regular Ubuntu, is this true?

I would recommend a cheap external drive, to use as testbed for mastering the partition
and resizing partition process. Ideally, to dual-boot, you should get the windows disk under
40% capacity, back up the data, then run the disk-defrag utility, then do the resize based on knowledge, instead of hope. Or if you get a trustworthy external drive, just let the windows
setup alone, and install 12.04 on the external.

[hebjuzeb]

Thanks Slowpick,
That's a good idea, I sometimes forget how cheap external HDs are. I have a clean copy of Windows, I assume it's no problem to boot that from the external drive instead?

I really like the way Ubuntu is going these days, and I think (thanks to KX plus the glorious Reaper) that Linux could dart ahead in the music-production world in terms of stability, flexibility, and control. What I need more than anything else is a version of KX, even if it's a desktop I'm not familiar with, that's guaranteed to work as intended.

That's the only way I know if it's a feasible option; I'm guaranteed to do some stupid things, but if I'm using a version that's still a little green and has some bugs, then I'm likely to blame my mistakes on the system; it's just human nature. If I can get a green-light when things are about as good as they're going to get (ie repositories check out OK, and/or Live Disc is ready) then it's time to get my hands dirty and learn the new way of doing things.

I can't resist adding off-topic asides; with Addictive Drums and Easy Drummer there are zillions of prefab loops. Now Hydrogen is (to me) a totally superior program, but sometimes I just want to grab a loop and jam. Is there a library of basic beats out there somewhere?

TL;DR: when is a KX Live DVD likely to appear?

[slowpick]

External drives, or a drive case with bare drive, allow you to boot from the early boot menu,
an f9-key, or esc often interrupt normal booting for that.

If you make a separate /home partition, you can reinstall the core system, or a new release,
in 5-10 minutes, keeping most of your personal settings intact, by not re-formatting /home
in the reinstall.