Will we ever see Reason ported to Linux - or would their CodeMeter Authentication software prevent this?

[o_flabby_o]

Additionally, has anybody ever got Reason running under the Wine compatibility layer? I am keen to return to Linux as part of minimising my identifiable online privacy and data collection exposures and risks.

Would be interested to see if people have managed to get it up and running. I'm not a big fan of the idea of running in a VM.

Thanks.

[Pepin]

CodeMeter is available for Linux, so I don’t think that would prevent it. The bigger question is whether the demand exists to justify the development and support costs.

[o_flabby_o]

CodeMeter is available for Linux, so I don’t think that would prevent it. The bigger question is whether the demand exists to justify the development and support costs.

Very true. I think I can guess the answer too lol.

[deigm]

You may find this thread on the topic of interest

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7511515&hilit=Linux

[avasopht]

CodeMeter is available for Linux, so I don’t think that would prevent it. The bigger question is whether the demand exists to justify the development and support costs.

People make a bigger deal of Linux support than is justified nowadays.

And you'll find that Maschine+ as well as Akai's MPC/Force range both run on Linux.

They don't need to support every distribution or sound system either.

Bitwig and Reaper run on Linux. I doubt there is any difference in demand. Plus, once it's available it just means we have an option for a more streamlined environment without unnecessary bloat so that we can have a smoother production environment without any additional crapware on the system.

I'd even go as far to say that if supporting Linux incurs significant development and support costs, that might indicate they're doing something terribly wrong.

[o_flabby_o]

CodeMeter is available for Linux, so I don’t think that would prevent it. The bigger question is whether the demand exists to justify the development and support costs.

People make a bigger deal of Linux support than is justified nowadays.

And you'll find that Maschine+ as well as Akai's MPC/Force range both run on Linux.

They don't need to support every distribution or sound system either.

Bitwig and Reaper run on Linux. I doubt there is any difference in demand. Plus, once it's available it just means we have an option for a more streamlined environment without unnecessary bloat so that we can have a smoother production environment without any additional crapware on the system.

I'd even go as far to say that if supporting Linux incurs significant development and support costs, that might indicate they're doing something terribly wrong.

That’s an interesting take, the plethora of distros bellies the fact that a lot of them are just forks of main distros like RHEL or Ubuntu, a package that works on Ubuntu Studio is likely to work just as well on Mint or Pop! OS. U-He support Linux and the newer CLAP plug-in format. I’d like to see Reason support Linux but I suspect RS like to rigorously enforce DRM using windows and Mac tools to do so.

[Sargie]

My take would be:

Codemeter has nothing to do with it.

The fact that most people that would want to use a product like Reason on a computer own Windows or use a Mac is probably a bigger reason.

My understanding is Linux is less than 3% of the home OS market… and that is for all distros…

If you have finite resources (which based on the speed of Props’ development on critical matters like M1 support, VST3 support, DAW improvements, etc - they clearly do) I’d imagine (and hope, to be frank) that getting Reason working on Linux is somewhere near the bottom of their todo list.

[ShelLuser]

There's a reason why hardly any company bothers with Linux... and it's not just the small userbase. I mean, have we already forgotten that some major tech companies like NVidia, Microsoft (they even supplied kernel patches!), and even IBM are involved with all this? Not to mention that Linux also spawned some companies of its own: here's looking at Canonical and RedHat... oops.. sorry: the latter was taken over by IBM.

No one is denying that there's no money to make within the Linux environment; RedHat for example was the #1 when it came to providing Linux courses and such (IMO the main reason IBM bought 'm).

The problem though is that Linux as a whole is unpredicable. Still is. And it will never change.

Simple example: I can easily fire up DOS programs which I developed myself in Turbo Pascal 6 all the way back in the last century using Windows 10's command line. No emulation or anyting else needed. However, I cannot fire up any of the programs that were included with my very first copy of RedHat: RedHat picasso.

Another example: graphics. Linux used to rely on X, this became Xfree because X wasn't good enough. Then we suddenly got XOrg which also became a standard and now we're on the verge of Wayland acceptation.

Within Linux things can change on a programmers whim. Do you really believe that this is a healthy environment for commercial products? Ohhh, don't even get me started on all the nonsense that went into the audio engines...

Also let's not forget that "Linux" doesn't exist. It's merely a kernel and nothing else, what does exist are different distributions: Debian, Devian, Fedora, SuSE, Gentoo, Slackware.. oh wait... Fedora doesn't really exist anymore, that went into CentOS... OH WAIT, that stopped being a thing also... errr

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_L ... tributions

... there's a reason why that page explicitely mentions a date... (and why it's outdated as heck).

So here's the thing: some distributions value Xorg, others go into Wayland, others.... and that's only addressing the graphics part because I happened to have lived that myself.

The main problem with Linux is that stuff can change on a programmers whim. Backwards compatibility doesn't even exist here. Never has, because the argument is always: "Just re-compile, that's what open source is all about". errr, yah.. the perfect recipe for commercial projects: just give away your source code for free!!!

Also: you DO realize that support is a major cost factor for commercial companies, right?

Supporting Linux could easily mean that you'd have to re-write your entire project from the ground up every so many times just because some major aspects changed because... some Linux programmer felt like it.

Do you really think that sounds feasible for any company which is merely trying to sell their products?

From a commercial perspective... Linux is not feasible at all... the whole suggestion could be considered funny in this respect. NO disrespect intended but, seriously, it's just not there. Turn back the clock 10 years and... Linux is in the same situation... and nothing ever changed.

LTS ("Long Term Service") on Linux? Looking at Ubuntu in specific.... it means that yes, we'll support that specific version for a longer time, 5 years or so? But also: NO, we do NOT stop development nor releasing versions in between.

Meaning? If you want to upgrade one LTS version to the other you're basically required to skip several major releases in between, which is and always has been a HUGE no no. On pretty much any kind of platform (Windows, Mac, Linux...). Yet that's the norm on Linux.

[Billy+]

I do find these threads funny and generally don't respond but just lately there's been a few......

As someone who used Linux way back in the 90's before it became "cool" but because it was responsible / the os for over 90% of the global internet facing devices I thought that it was irresponsible not to understand what it was doing and how/why, it became my daily desktop os and even though I needed to compile applications for standard functionality it was definitely worth the extra hassle to get a system that I understood and trusted.

Now I guess I could rant about the world and current technology/tech companies but it's pointless - seriously it's pointless....


I would ask yourself

• Why after all this time isn't wine actually working for general desktop software.....
• What's wrong with compartmentalise computing.....
• If Reason Studios built a Linux from scratch distribution that cost you double the standard upgrade cost would you buy it.....

For what it's worth I multi booted and ran virtualisation environments for multiple distributions as well as windows versions and devices and had no problems coming home and deciding what I needed rather than hanging my hopes on a single company supporting my current Linux flavour oh a I also always paid for the software that I used....

But seriously buy a Mac or install windows and Reason standalone will be available for use when you want to use it

[avasopht]

And yet Reaper and Bitwig run natively on Linux, as does Unreal Engine and Unity.

The Reason why wine support is so difficult is because far too many programs rely on undocumented features of Windows.

This is one of the reasons why maintaining Windows was such a nightmare, since fixing bugs and updating Windows could result in some programs failing to work. So they have to retain old behaviours (that aren't officially documented, and some of them are bugs) even when creating new code to fix it replace it.

But wine only has public documentation to go by. It's also the same issue faced by React OS.

Linux support means we could run with much more stable timers configured to prioritise audio processing (including running on a Realtime OS which is even more stable at low buffer sizes).

Remember, MPC, Korg Karma and Machine+ run on Linux. They seem to have no difficulty supporting it when they want it.

And again, the benefit is the potential to run on the most stable timers (without having to buy a Mac).

[avasopht]

My take would be:

Codemeter has nothing to do with it.

The fact that most people that would want to use a product like Reason on a computer own Windows or use a Mac is probably a bigger reason.

My understanding is Linux is less than 3% of the home OS market… and that is for all distros…

If you have finite resources (which based on the speed of Props’ development on critical matters like M1 support, VST3 support, DAW improvements, etc - they clearly do) I’d imagine (and hope, to be frank) that getting Reason working on Linux is somewhere near the bottom of their todo list.

OSX below 3% from the late 90s to the late 00s (with much time below 2%). And Reaper, Bitwig, Unreal Engine, Unity Engine, and many more have no trouble supporting Linux.

I'm just not sure it's as big of a deal as some think it is, and what we get is the potential for a much more stable environment at the lowest buffer sizes.

[o_flabby_o]

I wanna produce music without an OS constantly phoning home and delivering all my telemetry and info to papa MS. I’m not paying Apple Tax for less customisation, repairability or upgradability either. I didn’t want to get into the weeds on the morality or ethics around data collection or the need for trying to prevent monopolistic behaviours. I am using W11 fully holding my nose at it. The fact I can’t remove Edge for example is a bad joke - especially when I PAID for Windows.

Linux can be much less resource intensive than Windows and therefore have more headroom leftover after accounting for the OS which can be used for other things.

I think the examples listed of other DAWs supporting Linux puts paid to it being unreasonably complex. A lot of people who move to Linux do so for programming or other creative reasons and are more likely to want dedicated software.

[avasopht]

Of course, there will always be the issue of vst support, which will always be on a case by case basis and the larger issue.

[DaveyG]

Will we ever see Reason ported to Linux?

No, it will never happen. And no amount of arguing for or against it on this forum will ever change that in RS world. It just won't.

[Jackjackdaw]

Could buy a Roland or Yamaha workstation and an 8 track. No internet whatsoever.

[gullum]

I wanna produce music without an OS constantly phoning home and delivering all my telemetry and info to papa MS. I’m not paying Apple Tax for less customisation, repairability or upgradability either. I didn’t want to get into the weeds on the morality or ethics around data collection or the need for trying to prevent monopolistic behaviours. I am using W11 fully holding my nose at it. The fact I can’t remove Edge for example is a bad joke - especially when I PAID for Windows.

and therefore you will never get all that you want and sure you will never get Reason, unless you stay on your windows or getting a Mac

[avasopht]

No, it will never happen. And no amount of arguing for or against it on this forum will ever change that in RS world. It just won't.

A Linux release is unlikely, but I'll bet my last caramel and custard pudding they've had a working Linux build since at least 2016 (the demo of RS effects in a custom guitar pedal is a hint )

[DaveyG]

No, it will never happen. And no amount of arguing for or against it on this forum will ever change that in RS world. It just won't.

A Linux release is unlikely, but I'll bet my last caramel and custard pudding they've had a working Linux build since at least 2016 (the demo of RS effects in a custom guitar pedal is a hint )

Dream on.

[benjified]

If RS clear up their docket of requests and fixes maybe. Bitwig and Reaper are small underdogs that aren’t beholden to anyone. RS is a small company too but they’re beholden to their venture capital masters. The other 2 companies are probably staffed by a lot of Linux enthusiasts so it’s ingrained into their culture. If there was a will there would be a way, but there is no interest.
Microsoft and Apple might have to really shit the bed to push Reason to Linux. Or a huge changeover of staff with Linux interest. Linux isn’t just a development venture, it’s also adding support for the flood of tickets.

[avasopht]

Dream on.

I'm not dreaming, I'm staking my last caramel and custard pudding.

I'm that confident I'm right

[integerpoet]

2022 is this year's Year of Linux on the Desktop!

[aeox]

Additionally, has anybody ever got Reason running under the Wine compatibility layer? I am keen to return to Linux as part of minimising my identifiable online privacy and data collection exposures and risks.

Would be interested to see if people have managed to get it up and running. I'm not a big fan of the idea of running in a VM.

Thanks.

I wish but probably no.

It's the only thing stopping me from not using WIndows OS anymore

[jam-s]

Additionally, has anybody ever got Reason running under the Wine compatibility layer? I am keen to return to Linux as part of minimising my identifiable online privacy and data collection exposures and risks.

Would be interested to see if people have managed to get it up and running. I'm not a big fan of the idea of running in a VM.

Thanks.

Reason 12 seems to mainly work with current wine version:

https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager. ... on&iId=811

[avasopht]

I just don't like all the bloat (which Linux is starting to suffer from as well).

Some people just want a clean and stable machine dedicated and optimized for music production. This includes dedicated controllers and displays.

MPC One/Live/X (and Akai FORCE) as well as Maschine+ are running in Linux. The Akai lines are the most interesting, as they seemed to have pretty low latencies (at least that's how it felt to me when comparing it to my Presonus on 256 buffer size ... maybe even 128).

It just uses ALSA (Linux equivalent of ASIO, but capable of lower latencies) with a Real-Time Linux (RTOS) - this basically means the MPC has much more control of CPU scheduling, allowing for more predictable stability and greater efficiency at the lowest latencies. This just cannot be done on Windows or OSX (as they do not offer real-time scheduling).

This is what has always made Linux an attractive target for me.

If you have an MPC/Force device you can compare the two to see just how much of a difference an RTOS makes (and remember, even with much lower latencies it's able to run as stable as a much more powerful CPU running on Windows/OSX). Akai MPC/Force runs on an ARM Cortex A17 (technically it's just an overclocked A12).



Personally, the Operating System doesn't matter if the end result is the same (I'm only going to run my DAW full-screen, right?). But right now, Linux is the only one of them offering an RTOS (plus it's much leaner than Windows).

My Windows setup works pretty well, and most people are shocked when they realize it was running from a tiny little micro PC.

Maybe I'm dreaming a bit, but that's because I know what it makes possible that isn't quite so possible right now. For example, you can get a Raspberry Pi with a Cortex-A72 for around $100 (which gives comparable power, if not more, than the Akai MPC/Force CPU).

Reason 12 seems to mainly work with current wine version:

https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager. ... on&iId=811

Cool. I wonder fi the improved compatibility is down to changes in Reason or Wine ...

[jam-s]

Cool. I wonder fi the improved compatibility is down to changes in Reason or Wine ...

I suppose recent improvements in wine (mostly driven by steam/valve) improved compatibility. Still the main menu drawing code from Reason seems to use some obscure windows API which wine has not gotten to emulate correctly for more than a decade now.