What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

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RockHopper
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What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by RockHopper »

I recently discovered akaitools which was written way back in '98. It got me wondering what Linux audio was like back then. I hadn't even heard of Linux until the mid 00s. In '98 I was still messing around in OctaMED SoundStudio on an Amiga!
analoq
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Re: What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by analoq »

I remember attempting to use Jazz++, early versions of Rosegarden, SoundTracker... support for audio and midi interfaces was dysmal, which ended up being the reason I gave up on Linux at the time. I'm happy to find things are much better now :)
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funkmuscle
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Re: What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by funkmuscle »

horrible... Jazz++, I forgot about that!
ssj71
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Re: What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by ssj71 »

I wasn't using linux yet, but I know in 2002 when my band recorded on a protools setup, it wasn't that great either. Things have come a long way on all platforms in the last 15 years. Hopefully the next 15 will bring even more goodness.
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English Guy
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Re: What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by English Guy »

I was using Linux from about 2002-2003 and what I remember is using Slackware and having to compile a lot of stuff, including rt kernels (Still on the 2 series when I started).
tux99
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Re: What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by tux99 »

RockHopper wrote:I recently discovered akaitools which was written way back in '98.
Now that's a blast from the past! :D

I tried to get akaitools working in 1998 or '99 as I had a Akai S2000 Sampler back then but never got it working properly. Sold the Akai after a short while as it was waaaay to complicated to use (menu diving galore with a tiny LCD screen), was glad to get rid of it.

It got me wondering what Linux audio was like back then. I hadn't even heard of Linux until the mid 00s. In '98 I was still messing around in OctaMED SoundStudio on an Amiga!
I had a Gravis Ultrasound PnP and was using the GUS Linux drivers from Jaroslav Kysela (who later moved on to write the ALSA drivers) with some success, but for 'serious' music making I was still using Cakewalk on Win98 at the time, Linux wasn't ready for that yet but that didn't stop me from experimenting with it and trying out all Linux music software I could get hold of.
StudioDave
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Re: What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by StudioDave »

Greetings,

Linux Journal published my first article (in hardcopy) in September 1998:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3007

IIRC I had already written a couple things for LWN, published on-line. By that time I had begun the site at linux-sound.org, and I'm pretty sure I have an archive around here from that period. Jeff Tranter's book was the only guide to actually doing something with Linux sound software. Things were different then.

Best,

dp
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funkmuscle
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Re: What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by funkmuscle »

StudioDave wrote:Greetings,

Linux Journal published my first article (in hardcopy) in September 1998:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3007

IIRC I had already written a couple things for LWN, published on-line. By that time I had begun the site at linux-sound.org, and I'm pretty sure I have an archive around here from that period. Jeff Tranter's book was the only guide to actually doing something with Linux sound software. Things were different then.

Best,

dp
actually, Dave, you're the person that kept me with Linux for audio.. You were always keeping us up to date on what was happening and I was at you audio page: http://sound.condorow.net/
everyday..
thanx DP
StudioDave
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Re: What was Linux audio like in 1998 ?

Post by StudioDave »

Greetings,

The state of Linux audio softs in early 1999:

http://linux-sound.org/lms1999/

Things have certainly changed since then.

Best,

dp
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