Ubuntu Wiki

   1 [16:01] <ClassBot> Logs for this session will be available at http://irclogs.ubuntu.com/2010/10/15/%23ubuntu-classroom.html following the conclusion of the session.
   2 [16:01] <ScottL> Hello and welcome to Ubuntu Studio: Q & A
   3 [16:02] <ScottL> I am Scott Lavender, project lead for Ubuntu Studio and I look forward to answer any questions you might have
   4 [16:02] <ScottL> But first I'll mention some things about Ubuntu Studio
   5 [16:02] <ScottL>
   6 [16:02] <ScottL> What exactly is Ubuntu Studio?
   7 [16:03] <ScottL> Ubuntu Studio is based on Ubuntu, it shares the same core code
   8 [16:04] <ScottL> but we include various audio, video, and graphical applications that are not included in the typical desktop Ubuntu installation
   9 [16:04] <ScottL> additionally, we make some changes to some system settings, which is intended to improve performance
  10 [16:05] <ScottL> in the past we have had a tuned kernel available, as well, to improve performance
  11 [16:06] <ScottL> and our hope to provide a tuned kernel included in a default installation in the near future (perhaps in natty)
  12 [16:07] <ScottL> any questions so far?
  13 [16:08] <ScottL> Right.  Moving on, I'll address some of the more common questions that I see
  14 [16:08] <ScottL> One is network configuration
  15 [16:09] <ScottL> Ubuntu Studio chooses to include the gnome-network-admin package for handling networking
  16 [16:09] <ScottL> this choice was because network-manager was found to degrade performance
  17 [16:10] <ScottL> when i say "degrade performance" in this case, it means it increased latency or cause xruns when recording audio
  18 [16:11] <ScottL> it was found that gnome-network-admin did not cause the same performance degradation
  19 [16:12] <ScottL> unfortunately, it was also found that gnome-network-admin had a patch applied to it that removed the configuratuion UI when network-manager was chose to handle networking in both Debian and Ubuntu, I believe
  20 [16:13] <ScottL> while this did not prove so troubling to persons using a wired connection to a dhcp router, many users (say laptop users) found that they could not configure their connections and therefore unable to connect to the internet
  21 [16:14] <ScottL> luckily the patch was moderated as of Maverick and Ubuntu Studio users should now be able to configure their network connections once again
  22 [16:16] <ScottL> as a backup, however, we have been including network-manager on the dvd
  23 [16:16] <ScottL> network-manager is not installed by default, but can be installed manually if the user chooses
  24 [16:16] <ScottL> !q
  25 [16:18] <ClassBot> charlie-tca asked: Studio has quite a busy login and background. For some of us, it is hard to distinguish the background black pattern and the panel. Any plans to change this?
  26 [16:19] <ScottL> short answer is yes, we are looking to changing the art
  27 [16:20] <ScottL> we would prefer to use art that is user created and we welcome submissions
  28 [16:21] <ClassBot> charlie-tca asked: I guess mostly I am hoping it will become more accessible. Those with visual impairments will have some issues trying to see with the background as busy as it is.
  29 [16:21] <ScottL> i agree
  30 [16:22] <ScottL> i personally prefer a background with less contrast in it as the desktop become very confusing
  31 [16:22] <ScottL> additionally, we currently lack an art lead, if anyone is interested please contact the ubuntustudio-devel mailing list
  32 [16:23] <ScottL> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-studio-devel
  33 [16:24] <ScottL>
  34 [16:24] <ScottL> if anyone has questions, please ask them at any time, otherwise I will move onto other questions that are asked often
  35 [16:25] <ScottL> Another question asked, is why the Ubuntu Studio team chooses to make an ISO rather than use the Ubuntu desktop CD and install packages from the archives or PPA?
  36 [16:26] <ScottL> One certainly can start with a Ubuntu (or Xubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, et al) install and install packages and many do!
  37 [16:26] <ScottL> however, as a team we choose to make an ISO for various reasons
  38 [16:26] <ScottL> firstly, this allows us to control what does NOT get installed
  39 [16:27] <ScottL> for example, the me-menu and other social items are excluded from the default Ubuntu Studio installation as they would general degrade performance
  40 [16:27] <ScottL> a user may certainly install them if they wish from the repositories, and that is their choice of course
  41 [16:28] <ScottL> there are system settings (e.g. adding user to audio group) extant in the default Ubuntu Studio installation
  42 [16:28] <ScottL> these would need to be made manually otherwise
  43 [16:30] <ScottL> an extremely useful benefit for a new user
  44 [16:30] <ScottL> other reasons include using the installation disc on multiple computer or computers without an internet connection
  45 [16:32] <ScottL> Moving on, I'll talk about some of the improvement in Ubuntu Studio for the Maverick release
  46 [16:32] <ScottL> we now have better integration between Pulse Audio and JACK
  47 [16:33] <ScottL> we have updated JACK from the 0.118 series to the 1.9.5 I believe
  48 [16:33] <ScottL> the pertinent improvement in this is that JACK now uses D-BUS to negotiate with devices
  49 [16:33] <ScottL> this allows JACK and Pulse Audio to coexist much better than before
  50 [16:34] <ScottL> prior to this, starting JACK via qjackctl would cause Pulse Audio to suspend
  51 [16:34] <ScottL> this is no longer the case
  52 [16:35] <ScottL> both can be used at the same time as long as Pulse Audio and JACK are using different devices
  53 [16:35] <ScottL> for example
  54 [16:36] <ScottL> I would expect many (if not most) Ubuntu Studio computer to have an additional audio interface (say an MAudio delta 44) in addition to an onboard integrated sound chip
  55 [16:36] <ScottL> in this case, one could watch a youtube video and hear the sound through the onboard audio device
  56 [16:37] <ScottL> while playing guitar and hearing it through the delta 44
  57 [16:40] <ClassBot> charlie-tca asked: any chance Ubuntu Studio could be made to fit a standard CD?
  58 [16:40] <ScottL> that is both an excellent question and a laudable goal
  59 [16:40] <ScottL> my answer would be that it is possible, but at what cost?
  60 [16:41] <ScottL> it is possible, indeed, but we would need to see what functionality we would be eliminating
  61 [16:41] <ScottL> we would also need to evaluate the ultimate reason to fitting on a CD
  62 [16:42] <ScottL> if the reason is bandwidth, that might be address in a better way by evaluating the current package selection (ideally without hindering functionality)
  63 [16:42] <ScottL> if the reason is because CD's are less expensive and more pervasive than DVD's, that certainly would be hard to be addressed in another manner
  64 [16:43] <ScottL> again, an excellent question
  65 [16:43] <ClassBot> charlie-tca asked: what is the IRC channel for Ubuntu Studio?
  66 [16:43] <ScottL> the IRC channel for Ubuntu Studio is #ubuntustudio
  67 [16:44] <ScottL> this is for most general questions about Ubuntu Studio
  68 [16:45] <ScottL> if you wish to talk with the developers about contributing to Ubuntu Studio (e.g. artwork, themes, testing, documentation) you can read them at #ubuntustudio-devel on IRC as well
  69 [16:45] <ScottL> users will most likely find helpful information at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuStudio
  70 [16:46] <ScottL> this is geared more toward helping users user Ubuntu Studio
  71 [16:46] <ScottL> development topics are generally found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio
  72 [16:47] <ScottL> users can also find assistance at the ubuntustudio-users mailing list https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-studio-users
  73 [16:48] <ClassBot> charlie-tca asked: what are the expected changes for Natty in Ubuntu Studio? anything major known yet?
  74 [16:48] <ScottL> There are substantial changes lined up for Natty
  75 [16:49] <ScottL> currently we are working with the Ubuntu Kernel Team to develop and maintain a -lowlatency kernel in the official repositories
  76 [16:49] <ScottL> the is important
  77 [16:49] <ScottL> i mentioned before a tuned kernel, which was the -rt kernel
  78 [16:50] <ScottL> unfortunately this kernel could not be consistently maintained in the repos and align with the -generic kernel (the -rt patch is not available for every release version)
  79 [16:50] <ScottL> therefore, we choose the -lowlatency kernel to be the default installed kernel for Ubuntu Studio
  80 [16:51] <ClassBot> There are 10 minutes remaining in the current session.
  81 [16:51] <ScottL> our plan is to also provide a -realtime kernel available in PPA to those who require it (e.g. firewire audio interface users)
  82 [16:51] <ScottL> we are also evaulating our package selection by focusing on tasks
  83 [16:52] <ScottL> we are mapping tasks that users might want to accomplish and making sure we have a complete and effective workflow developed to support that tasks
  84 [16:52] <ScottL> this will decided which applications are included in Ubuntu Studio
  85 [16:53] <ScottL> users are encourage to help in this process at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio/Workflows
  86 [16:53] <ScottL>
  87 [16:54] <ScottL> the task based workflows are important because this will also provide the framework for documentation and testing as well
  88 [16:55] <ScottL> one last thing we hope to accomplish is to update the ubuntustudio.org website before natty
  89 [16:55] <ScottL> we are currently evaluating mockups for this at the moment and hope to decide on a direction soon and start moving forward
  90 [16:56] <ClassBot> There are 5 minutes remaining in the current session.
  91 [16:56] <ScottL> if anyone is interested in helping with that please contact me
  92 [16:56] <ScottL> https://launchpad.net/~slavender
  93 [16:56] <ScottL> and if anyone is interested in helping in ANY aspect with Ubuntu Studio please do not hesitate to contact me as well :)
  94 [16:58] <ScottL> I want to thank everyone that showed up for this class, I certainly enjoyed myself and I hope you did too