Vista? Hello or goodbye?

[Peter Korsten]

Op 13-5-2011 1:12, Dave S schreef:

> Ugh, why does music making still suck on Linux in 2011?  I don't get
> why it's such hard work to get it up and running, or why it's so
> confusing (and bear in mind I've been using Linux for just about
> everything for like 8-ish years with a handful of different "harder"
> distros including Gentoo and Sidux), or why the programs are so far
> behind their Windows counterparts.

It's all a question about market. After, what, 15 years, Linux is still 
a niche when it comes to the desktop. Server-side, yes, you'll get most 
packages running on Solaris, Windows Server and Linux (although, oddly 
enough, not Siebel), but when it comes to desktop it's practically all 
Windows, a significant minority of Mac, and the rest is scraps.

When it comes to software that everybody "needs", such as a browser, 
it's still worthwhile to develop it for Linux, but when it comes to a 
niche product like professional audio, it's a niche for a niche. And 
there it becomes prohibitively expensive to maintain a software product 
for such a small potential user base.

Anyway, ever since NT 4.0, I've quite liked Windows, and 7 is just a 
sweet version. Yes, I know, Microsoft is the devil incarnate, and by 
using Windows I'll add a few million years in purgatory, but Apple is no 
different, so I have few qualms about that.

I used to make it a point to run things on Solaris (now that is hardcore 
for you), but came to the conclusion that it's a bit silly. My main use 
of my computer is commercial games (and kudos to Valve for making Steam 
and a large portfolio of games available for the Mac), for which Windows 
is still the best system, and internetty stuff that will run on any 
system. So, Windows it is.

- Peter