Hi Wrinkles:

Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you about the learning curve with Linux... but hey, I got fairly comfortable with DOS and before that CP/M before Windows came along... and I still have an old iMac... so I'm flexible but hated to lose Windows XP Support. I still have it on my non-internet recording Computer.

Deciding which version of Ubuntu seems to be the biggest choice to make. I have an old desktop small format PC and plan to start there with Ubuntu.

Regards,

Dave Rice

Forget Ubuntu, its just stuffed with bloat ware these days, best to go with Linux Mint, as while it is based around Ubuntu it has none of the rubbish that Ubuntu itself comes with these days.

I would also suggest that you wait for Windows 10 which is due out later this year, as the technical preview is great, and with the features to be added shortly it is a genuine replacement for Windows 7. (Vista was a disaster which was solved with 7, and 8 was also poor which 10 solves)

If you don’t want to wait for 10 go for 7 as its way better than XP, and takes up no more resources. (I still have XP available in a virtual environment but I haven’t used it for years (One of these days I will finally get round to uninstalling it)

Hope this helps

Bill

I agree with you for Linux mint, if you want an everything onboard Linux install, or Centos if you want a good stable server or naked client... Ubuntu has indeed just as much bloatware as the average android phone..


However in music buiseness, i would go with windows 7 or 8 if you want touchscreen, 64 bit as a client... Because all great software and VSTs run under windows, unless you want logic or other specific apple products, then apple is the only way to go... Windows 8 interface is actually quite logical but requires addapting and rethinking... The biggest letdown is that most older 3rd party applications are not really fit to running with a touchscreen, while the OS itselves works perfect with either a multitouchscreen or a multitouchpad but not with a mouse, the older applications dont take well to touch as they where not really designed for it...

If you want to build a serious DAW and still have all options available, Linux would not be my first choice (comming from a certified linux admin)


Both ios and android are severely underpowered when it comes to do professionall stuff with music, android lacks most of the software, while ios lacks the abbility to running more then a single program in real time... They are still in a position where they make great music readers and fun toys...


Unless you own an Integra7, you dont want a mobile device that does not run a fullfledged version of windows... Integra 7 is one of the exceptions, because you run the actuall interface on your ipad.

Thanks, Bill and Abacus:

I've heard that Mint is a good platform for music creation and editing. I suspect the learning curve is two-fold. First, Linux must be mastered and then the Linux based Music Software must also be learned. I'm guessing that this might take some pretty intense and time consuming effort on the part of a semi-intelligent novice. I'm hoping an installation disk can be acquired with some documentation about getting it onto a Windows based operating system and then a method to eliminate Win or put it onto a different partition on the hard drive.

The other choice I hear might be available is a self-contained memory stick (or similar device) that would allow independent operation from Windows without having to change any of the existing hard drive software or Windows Operating System. Naturally, the Memory Stick would require several gigs of space.

Possibly I am just whistling in the dark but the learning curves without a guru of qualified tech instructor can be a real time consuming nightmare.

Any thoughts?

Regards,

Dave Rice

Hi Dave

There are many options for installing Linux, including all the ones you mention.

USB Stick/HDD: to get the best out of this it would need to be USB 3 as while it would work with USB 2 it would be very slow. (If your computer does not have USB 3 you can purchase a plug-in PCIe card to add it for minimal cost)

The Linux file can be downloaded in the ISO format which can be burned direct to a DVD, thus giving you a fully bootable disc.

If you have a later version of Windows you can use Disk Management to create a new partition on your HDD, (You will need to reduce the size of an existing partition first) or you can use one of the many free Disk utility programs available. (I use http://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html )

When you boot from the Linux Disk it will give you the option to either replace Windows or run Linux on the separate partition, thus giving you a dual boot system.

In ALL circumstances back everything up before doing any modifications.

I would not recommend you get rid of Windows as there are a lot of Music programs (Including many big names) that will not run on any form of Linux even using Wine. (Those that use a separate dongle such as East West & Steinberg are probably the most notable)

Hope this helps

Bill

Wow Dave, CP/M is a really historical computer OS. I doubt there were any MIDI or synth apps running under that. But it is cool you remember it. I remember it, I had a Commodore 128 that ran CP/M.

Thanks, Bill:

Great advice. I'll probably use a spare laptop and do a repartition (about half windows and half linux) so I won't be risking any of my existing files or programs.

Regards,

Dave Rice

Hi Nigel:

It is amazing how much progress (depending on one's view of progress... LOL!) but I really miss my old Commodore Amiga. For it's time, there was nothing to compare. It came with a program called, "Deluxe Paint" and I have never found anything to replace it... particularly for it's ease of use and versatility. That program was written by a company that decided to change directions into computer games and they abandoned the best art program ever written.

Thanks for the trip down "memory lane."

All my best,

Dave Rice

If you want to try other OS before changing, and only have one system, use VMWARE as a virtuall engine... Takes a little research, but works as a breeze when you want to test Linux distros.. No reformatting, or risk for dataloss..

I ended up using bars and pipes on my amiga 2000 as a midi sequencer, it was a really great product back then..