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KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:28 am
by basementmedia
Hello, everybody,

I bought a new computer (ASUS prime z390 board, i7 processor, SSD hard disk, etc). I also own a RME Fireface 800.
On my old computer I used KXStudio and was very satisfied. I especially liked the ideal integration of my RME Fireface. Previously I had installed Linux Mint and tried to configure the system so that I could use the Fireface for Mixbus 5 as well as for system sounds. I failed miserably. :D

Now that I have a new computer, I wonder if it makes sense to install KXStudio again, since this distribution is based on Ubuntu 14.04., but is now already 18.04..

What do you recommend ? Does it still make sense to use KXStudio or are there better alternatives? It's important to me that my RME Fireface runs without any problems and that I don't have any problems installing newer software (which also runs with Ubuntu 14.04.).

I am grateful for every tip.
Many greetings
Daniel

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 9:15 am
by sysrqer
The next kxstudio release will be based on Neon so it would make sense to use that. I've used for the last year or two and I have had no problems, it's fairly minimal and rock solid. Just add the kxstudio repo, install what you need and you're good to go.

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 9:47 am
by Luc
I don't think there is anything better than KXStudio. You say you were very satisfied, so why not use it again? Because it's "old"? Come on. It's not Windows 95 we're talking about here. I use Debian current and I have many old packages, because Debian is conservative in that aspect. It's OK. There will be a new release of the KXStudio distro eventually, but nobody knows how long that will take. It could be three days or three months. Are you going to sit on your hands during all that time?

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:35 am
by wjl
Hi Daniel,

I'm with Luc here, and I also use Debian stable *together with* the KXStudio repositories - so I have the best of everything in my opinion.

And Mint, isn't that based upon Ubuntu which itself is based upon Debian? I haven't tried it myself, but I bet that same approach with the repos should work well. Do a backup and try, there's nothing to lose here IMHO.

And then tell us how it went. Oh, and enjoy your new machine, sounds like a good choice as well.

Cheers,
Wolfgang

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 1:40 pm
by lilith
I thought the KX repos are up to date with Ubuntu 18 and just the ISO image is not ready.
So, I would suggest to install a new version of Debian or Ubuntu and adding the KX repos afterwards.

--> viewtopic.php?f=19&t=18436

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 2:38 pm
by basementmedia
Hello, everybody,

because my Linux knowledge is unfortunately still quite poor (but I don't want to go back to Windows anyway ;-) I don't understand some of your answers yet:

You write, I can install a current distribution and then add the repositories.
Installing the distribution isn't a problem, but how exactly do you add a repository and - after having add a repository - do I automatically have the same ideal configuration as if I installed the current KXStudio distribution (with Ubuntu 14.04)? Or does "adding a repository" just mean, that i link a software-library and then have to manually download and configure lots of software manually (which I'm probably not able to do due to my knowledge gaps in the Linux area). Will my RME Fireface be ready for use immediately (both inside Mixbus and as a system sound card) or will I have to download and install and configure a lot of other software until I have a fully functional DAW again?

Could you possibly write me an easy to understand, short step-by-step tutorial (so just a brief guide) on how to get a running Ubuntu (or Debian) configuration that will also run my RME Fireface 800? Or is that too complex?

Best regards
Daniel

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 5:09 pm
by finotti
Luc wrote:I don't think there is anything better than KXStudio. You say you were very satisfied, so why not use it again? Because it's "old"? Come on. It's not Windows 95 we're talking about here.
It is not a simple as that. The support end date for 14.04 is April 19. Although there is nothing wrong with old packages, the end of support means the end of security updates, which should be taken very seriously. I'd advise against 14.04. But that is just me...

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 5:25 pm
by lilith
finotti wrote:
Luc wrote:I don't think there is anything better than KXStudio. You say you were very satisfied, so why not use it again? Because it's "old"? Come on. It's not Windows 95 we're talking about here.
It is not a simple as that. The support end date for 14.04 is April 19. Although there is nothing wrong with old packages, the end of support means the end of security updates, which should be taken very seriously. I'd advise against 14.04. But that is just me...
But this is when using the ISO only or am I wrong?

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 6:49 pm
by merlyn
basementmedia wrote:...and that I don't have any problems installing newer software (which also runs with Ubuntu 14.04.).
Not sure what you mean by that.
lilith wrote:But this is when using the ISO only or am I wrong?
You're right. It's Ubuntu 14.04 LTS that will stop being supported. That's the base of the ISO.

It may be worth clearing up that KX Studio can refer to an ISO, a set of repos, and a collection of software.

My inclination would be not to install an OS that is reaching its end of life, so the ISO is out. The consensus that's emerging is that the best bet is to add the KX repos to an up to date distribution.

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 6:57 pm
by finotti
merlyn wrote:
lilith wrote:But this is when using the ISO only or am I wrong?
You're right. It's Ubuntu 14.04 LTS that will stop being supported. That's the base of the ISO.
I am not sure what you (both) mean. After you install the distro from the ISO, you are using 14.04. Your repositories will be for 14.04 and stop being updated on April 2019. So, no, after you install you will have no more security updates after April 2019.

Now you can update your installed system to a newer version (e.g., 18.04 or 18.10) by changing your repositories, but this is not a simple process, and Ubuntu is (or at least was) notorious for having problems with big updates (to different versions) like that. (It might have changed in the recent past, though. I haven't been paying attention, since I don't use it.) But in that case, might as well install the newer version, which is much safer.

Again, just my $0.02...

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 7:04 pm
by merlyn
finotti wrote:I am not sure what you (both) mean.
I took lilith to be asking if KX Studio was going to stop being supported. AFAIK KX Studio repos and software will continue to be supported.

And for my part, I mean that it's Ubuntu 14.04 LTS that will stop being supported, which affects the ISO only.

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 7:20 pm
by lilith
I would NOT use the KX ISO now as support ends in 2019.
You can use any recent Ubuntu / Debian / (Arch) distro and add the KX repos by hand. This is fine!

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 7:30 pm
by Luc
April 2019 still gives you four months. Good enough for anyone to get started then upgrade when the new one comes.
I use plain Debian with KXStudio repositories and I don't even like Ubuntu, but it's just a matter of personal taste and I don't see any problem with support ending in April.

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 7:32 pm
by sysrqer
lilith wrote:I would NOT use the KX ISO now as support ends in 2019.
You can use any recent [] (Arch) distro and add the KX repos by hand. This is fine!
While I know what you're saying here, it's a bit misleading. Unless something has changed recently you have to compile all the packages and add them individually and you are still lacking in some places (such as if you use the official ardour package from ardour some plugins will not show their gui, again unless this has changed recently). Certainly you can arrive at the same place ultimately but I don't think it's quite in the same category as debian/ubuntu and not really supported as such by falktx even though some of the AUR packages are created by him.

Re: KXStudio --> to install or not to install? --> Better Options

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 7:34 pm
by lilith
sysrqer wrote:
lilith wrote:I would NOT use the KX ISO now as support ends in 2019.
You can use any recent [] (Arch) distro and add the KX repos by hand. This is fine!
While I know what you're saying here, it's a bit misleading. Unless something has changed recently you have to compile all the packages and add them individually and you are still lacking in some places (such as if you use the official ardour package from ardour some plugins will not show their gui, again unless this has changed recently). Certainly you can arrive at the same place ultimately but I don't think it's quite in the same category as debian/ubuntu and not really supported as such by falktx even though some of the AUR packages are created by him.
Ok, that I didn't know. That's why I put it in brackets.