LinuxMusicians

I was actually thinking of an office suite as being a large thing that could be left out, for the user to choose and install as and when --- but you've convinced me. It should be there.

danboid FINALLY tries KXStudio aka wishes for improvements for 12.04.2 summary

Installer or welcome tool should add user to the audio group, ideally.

A better explanation of what the Welcome tool options do, in the tool itself (mouseover hints or labels)

I sent Nedko my suggested 'fix' for the 'new LADISH studio auto-created' message but he never replied - do you know if he fixed that F?

Add 'Open Terminal' and 'Find' to the Dolphin toolbar

Include the 'Root Actions' service for Dolphin (and maybe ruby too to enable service script installers which depend upon ruby)

Better tooltips in Cadence

KDE desktop should default to (Home) Folder view mode

Include mhwaveedit and rcconf (which depends on dialog) as standard

Include Boot_Repair on the Live Desktop and SuperGrubDisk2 as a new boot time option for fixing (UEFI) boot issues

EDIT

I'd also recommend that the next release have KDE desktop FX disabled by default but that depends what the demand for bling is round here I suppose. I think most would prefer better performance and less issues over bling, right?

I like everything, Dan, except the desktop effects thing (and I have no opinion about mhwavedit or some other things as I've never used that). We are totally going to reach more newbies with desktop effects on, with things looking nice and seeming modern. Glow around windows is very visually helpful. The settings can be minimal to emphasize efficiency, but basic desktop effects are very nice and should be on. It would be good to include in the docs a quick reference for doing things like turning on and off desktop effects.

mhwaveedit is only for modifying an audio file as far as I've experienced. I've had to go back to Audacity if I need to record a drum sound or something.

But then, I wouldn't be able to hook up Audacity to anything I want in Catia, like microphone in->gate->eq->audacity

Hi wolftune,

I'm a newbie. For us, newbies, there are but two real options when it comes to chosing a linux distro to create, record or produce music. These are: AV Linux and KXStudio. Though I really appreciate the fact it is possible on KXStudio that one can play in the morning (e.g.) call of duty through Steam with highest graphic settings and use that same KXStudio in the afternoon to record music with a very low latency, its not something I expect from a audio/video distro. Cause maybe I'm just lucky that I can afford descent hardware. Others may not or just don't want to buy another pc.

What I, newbie, and I think most linux musicians, want, are recources. Those little RAM bars shouldn't be filled with gloss, effects, offices, etc.. they should be used for 99% for the audio program we are using. I'm sure users using KXStudio for video editing or photography etc feel the same about it, but I can just speak in my name. If I want effects and such, I download Mint or ubuntu with cinnamon or something the like, not KXStudio. Without wanting to open discussions about who's better here, I have to say AV Linux is way more consistant when it comes to using resources. Besides the fact that I like GMaq's attitude, AV Linux is just there and does what it has to do, nothing more and certainly nothing less.

So I dunno, just my few cents..

straighttothebar: thanks for sharing your thoughts. By "newbie" do you actually mean to Linux or just to KXStudio or to Linux audio?

Anyway, there's mis-representation in your post. "Offices" as in LibreOffice in this case, do not fill up RAM and have nothing to do with performance. Just having the program installed doesn't affect this unless you run the program while you do audio stuff. Basic word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet are just standard functions people use for all sorts of things, including alongside audio and video.

Secondly, I'm not advocating tons of gloss and such. I was weighing in that some basic desktop effects make a difference to important things like seeing window borders clearly. Otherwise, KXStudio is already set up very much to be streamlined. In my case, when I've tested turning on and off the reasonable basic desktop effects that I use, I see essentially ZERO difference in CPU for audio. There's no freeing of resources for audio DSP at all. Note: I also have it set, as it should be, to disable effects automatically for full-screen windows. Anyway, in my experience, desktop effects really only impact video processing. So in that regard, I suggest we document very clearly how to just hit alt-shift-F12 to turn on and off desktop effects whenever it makes a difference. All this may be more or less issue depending on one's hardware anyway.

So I believe that desktop effects, the ones we do use in KXStudio, are fine, not causing problems, and easy to turn off. I'm not advocating lots of gloss. I'm saying not to turn things off that make for a better experience visually when it might not even help anything to turn them off. Just tell users how to control it. We shouldn't knee-jerk sacrifice things just because it might help. We should be sure it actually makes a difference.

I agree that when there's a conflict for audio processing vs other settings, KXStudio should prioritize audio. In this case, I don't think there's really even much conflict. Only minor effects are turned on anyway. Even video stuff will automatically turn off effects if the program is full-screen. Otherwise, users should know about alt-shift-F12. And if they see the effects first and then turn them off, they'll know what they're missing. In the case of me and my students, 95% of the time we're doing audio stuff, and maybe not extremely intense, and the desktop effects simply make things easier and nicer while causing no problems at all. As I said, I see no change in my audio processing with or without the effects (and I'm running an inexpensive netbook, not some super powered machine).

Cheers

Wolftune,

I do have some experience with music and audio in general (as stated elsewhere on this forum), but never really got into recording music in my (small) home studio with linux untill like one year ago. Its a steep learing curve if you have to start from zero and not being used to linux and so, but things like the KXStudio mini-manual really make things easier, so good work on that.

But my point was actually that even if your no pro at all, things like desktop effects isn't going to make one want KXStudio more than for example AV Linux. I'm refering to your post you made earlier where you state that newbies are going to be more attracted with those effects included. Though I'm sure you will attract a different public indeed and maybe more fans than before because of that, but maybe its not the right audience for the KXStudio? But then, what is the right audience? Ah it matters not. Keep up the good work, but don't go hard on our cpu's.

Regards,

I think we basically agree. I'm just promoting that we don't compromise things if it doesn't actually help. We should try to get everything to be as ideal as we can and make compromises only when we realize that it is the right thing to do.

I still believe in "the simplest the better" and use only the PPA's until the Debian based version if it occurs one day.

stanlea wrote:I still believe in "the simplest the better" and use only the PPA's until the Debian based version if it occurs one day.

I think the best view is that simplicity is a virtue, but it is a virtue. If there's two choices, one is simpler, and no other real difference, obviously go with simple. To make simple the absolute highest priority is misguided, in my opinion, and I doubt you actually do that. In fact, the KXStudio ISO is simpler than a different install plus PPAs, although there may be other reasons besides simplicity to go that way.

Another thing i would like to see fixed for the 12.04.2 release is the ability to playback HTML5 videos using ALSA->JACK (Plugin). In the current state it's required to be in ALSA->LOOP->JACK mode to hear anything. Adobe Flash videos doesn't have this issue, for GNash/Lightspark i really don't know, i haven't tested it yet, but i'm hoping they'll have a proper support too...

totalchaos:

I've not noticed this issue yet. Whats sites do you use that use HTML5 audio tags that have this prob?

falkTX wrote: If there's a problem with the "ALSA->JACK (Plugin)", report the issue to the ALSA devs.

If you have issues with the alsa loop bridge, I'd like to hear to them though.
This is the supported alsa bridge right now, so I'm interested to get it to work perfectly. Not much for other options though...

I thought they're both KXStudio trademarks, sorry

danboid wrote:totalchaos:

I've not noticed this issue yet. Whats sites do you use that use HTML5 audio tags that have this prob?

From Cadence switch to ALSA->JACK (plugin), than disable Adobe Flash from Firefox/Add-ons/Plugins restart the browser and playback any Youtube video. After a second, it will automatically redirect you to HTML5

F:

You never replied to my list of suggested tweaks or additions to .2 - whaddya tink?

Before you even get a breath, I've got another couple of suggestions.

grub customizer would be a very useful addition for newbs who want to dual/multi boot

How about improving the installer so that it would automatically optimize your config you have installed onto an SSD as per this guide:

http://www.howtogeek.com/62761/how-to-t ... rformance/

I realise that is only possible if we have a surefire way of detecting if a drive is an SSD or not, and I'm not sure if we do.

falkTX wrote: This weekend is LAC 2013, and although I'm not there in person I've been following it closely.
Seeing all the great presentations is very inspiring.

The livestream doesn't start here, i guess i'll watch the pre-recorded lectures later.
You should be there so that linuxaudio world informs about your achievments. Maybe next year i guess.