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Posted by ZnU on 06/25/06 07:32
In article <1151217772.699452.183740@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>,
"Mr. Tapeguy" <mr.tapeguy@pro-tape.com> wrote:
> ZnU wrote:
>
> > > Geoff wrote:
> > > >It is also non designed for, and lack suitable mature
> > > > applications for, serious audio work.
> > > >
> > >
> > > The real key is in the lack of sutiable mature applications. You've
> > > hit the nail on the head there. It's not a knock against Linux to
> > > point that out. I don't think, howver, it's a flaw in the OS design
> > > that is the reason. Of the applications that ARE available for Linux,
> > > be they audio, routine computing or even an occasional oddity such as
> > > Apple's advanced compositing software Shake, nothing seems to prevent
> > > applications from being ported to Linux other than a lack of demand. I
> > > think everyone ought to be able to agree that Linux is a solid
> > > operating system and wouldn't it be great if there were more available
> > > for it as well as a centralized support system. The fact that this
> > > doesn't exist is judgment agnostic.
> >
> > Well... Shake is an interesting case, because apparently it's basically
> > being replaced with a new app (due in 2008) that will be Mac-only. The
> > reason for this decision is almost certainly that Apple wants to
> > leverage an OS X technology called Core Image, which Linux doesn't
> > really have an equvilant for.
> >
> > So, there are some areas where Linux is falling behind in terms of
> > providing the functionality that application vendors want to build on.
> >
> > Apple is actually in a somewhat unique position here, because their app
> > development guys can work with their OS guys to make sure the stuff they
> > want is there to support their apps. This gives them some major
> > advantages for demanding media applications particularly. The Logic guys
> > can call over and say "Hey, we need a kernel that can support audio
> > latency under 20ms. Thanks."
> >
> > Of course, app vendors could theoretically modify Linux to meet their
> > needs better... but I don't think most of them would relish the idea of
> > messing around with the OS at that level, and it would also be pretty
> > nuts if every pro-level app required a different specialized Linux
> > variant.
>
> Undboubtedly Core Image one of the centerpieces of all future Apple
> multimedia application develpment. Of course while Linux doesn't have
> the equivalent for it, you still run into the issue of demand. I have
> often wondered how long they would continue supporting the Linux
> version regardless - I certainly don't know the numbers but while their
> are at least SOME audio applications for Linux you don't see a "Linux
> for Digital Audio" type debate going on in the video forums and it's no
> surprise seeing as how all the professional video editing applications
> are either Mac/Windows or Windows only.
Well, the thing about Shake is, it started off life as a $10K product
for high-end post production houses of the sort that do in-house tool
development and build custom workflows around specialized software.
Linux has been fairly popular in that niche, because a lot of these
places used IRIX previously, and Linux provides a decent *nix-like
replacement for IRIX on which to develop your stuff. In that context,
maintaining the Linux version of Shake made a lot of sense.
But that niche is *tiny* in terms of volume, and what Apple clearly
wants to do with Shake (or, rather, its successor product) is take it
mainstream and sell advanced compositing software to the same audience
that presently buys Final Cut Studio. If they succeed in that, and I
suspect they eventually will, the above-mentioned niche in high-end
post-production houses will be absolutely tiny my comparison with the
new 'mainstream' (by the standards of the video production world)
market, and keeping the Linux version around won't really make much
sense anyway.
> I think app vendors would modify the code if there were a demand OR if
> they felt some sort of strategic marketing advantage (i.e. iTunes for
> PC or MS Office for Mac) by doing so. It doesn't appear they have the
> gross numbers to consider it.
--
"Those who enter the country illegally violate the law."
-- George W. Bush in Tucson, Ariz., Nov. 28, 2005
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