I'm thinking of installing Linux on my Mac so I can utilise Pd's [sysexin] and [midiin] objects (among other things).

For those already using Linux, what version are you using, or which versions do you recommend? I've read that Yellow dog seems to be pretty popular, but there do seem to be a few different versions out there.

I've heard/read about Ubuntu Studio is pretty good. It looks it certainly. Linux has better integration of Jack than OSX (currently) I wish the developers would get the midi and /or transport sorted for os x

I'm not the best person to ask about this tho. I like the sound of it, but I don't like the sound of having to faff with the command line. I want to make music not become a programmer! If its pretty simple stuff then I might install it using Parallels cuz then you got best of both worlds...

Beware of drivers for your sound card .....

Better yet can developers not bring Pd OSx up to speed the same as Linux Pd? Most of the developers appear to use Linux could they make a little extra effort and roll out the changes to other platforms.

In other words, I don't think you should have to go to another OS just to get a couple more features. Thats a little drastic! :-/

@boonier said:

I want to make music not become a programmer!

www.garageband.com <--- isn't this all you need then?

We are all "programmers." Isn't pd basically an object oriented programming language? Don't you remember those first few months/years.... "what the hell is all this nonesense? I thought this would be a lot more like reason!" Anybody who comes up with ideas as original as I've seen around here, using these simple tools, is more thatn just a musician. If you want to be called a programmer, you can write music in a low level language, even machine code. However, it is not fun; but yes, you should probably get a commodore 64 anyway.

Also, PD is opensource -- Liux is opensource. PD is a community effort -- Linux is a community effort. OSX developers do it (generally) for the money -- Linux developers do it for the community. This being said, I just decided to try and get Linux running (again).

I can vouch for ubuntu; I run it on my powerbook for live shows. I'm still tied to os x in the "studio" *cough* because of ableton and various vst's etc...

one thing with ubuntu, is that I'm not sure if they offer a low-latency kernel for ppc, so you might have to jump through some hoops and read some forums if you wanna set one up. I never bothered, because the stuff I'm doing is mostly feedback processing anyway; not really dependant on latency ; p

that aside, ubuntu seems to be the most painless to setup. it autodetected most of my hardware, and there's a killer faq on the ubuntu forums for setting up wireless etc. for pd you can use the extended installer that hans puts together http://at.or.at/hans/pd/installers.html. this works really well for me.

one very definite plus from using linux is you can run pd on blackbox and turn everything else off. no dropshadows, no itunes daemons, nothing but pd and a few bare minimum system processes. this is very cool if your powerbook is old and cranky like mine. I can load all my patches at once and it only hits the cpu about 30-40%!

Ok my point went a bit wayward there I actually meant that i am a bit apprehensive about adopting a new OS if I have to spend ages learning and configuring it...though i think i do not have enough experience of it to be able to make fair judgement..and I actually quite like os x.

But, in all honesty I've been seriously looking at Ubuntu and it looks pretty hot.

ps. I have a commodore 64 and it sounds bloody lovely

pps. Garageband smells of poo

i have ubuntustudio installed on a pc, and moc os x on my platop. (sorry shouldn't type while distracted, but u know what i mean)

anyway, i still use os x for pd, as it's extremely stable, files are easier to manage, and osx starts up again so quickly ..in the rare chance that it should crash.

Boonier, what do you use to make noises on the 64? I've messed a bit with Basic controlling the SID, but it just reminded me of my lonely pre-teen years. I'd love to build the MIDIbox 64, but that only utilizes the sid, and not the awesome graphics stuff.....

i use Prophet 64 (google it) which is a bunch of software on a cartridge that slots into one of the ports. ITs a cheap and fun option to control the chip. YOu can even build your own midi > c64 sync if you feel like getting the soldering iron out.

....or I cheat sometimes and use QuadraSID plugin, cuz it actually sounds rather fruity for a plugin