Media Studio Pro for Linux

[Brian Ellis]

As Gates & Co are becoming increasingly greedy and possessive, I feel that I would like to do my video work under Linux. Ideally, I would like to use MSPro, not only because I'm most familiar with it, but because I think that, on the whole, it is a good, reliable, software. If it, and Movie Factory, were ported to Linux, I'd move today.

It may be useful to know whether others feel that way and to ask those who have contacts with Ulead to report the results to them. Please respond (open from 08 September to 29 September).

[Elie]

NLE in general would be better under Linux, however don't think Linux is without problems as well.

The main thing about this open source os is just that, it is not confined to one source for bug fixes and add-ons.
I personally like the fact that I could go to the Microsoft web site and download all the fixes and add-ons needed for my software.

When running Linux however, you have to search all over the place for fixes that are practically released every day, so try to keep up with the latest most current version is almost impossible.

I would certainly move to an all Linux OS if and only if they get their act together and produce one version of the damn OS that I don't have to recompile kernals everytime I install a driver or a peice of hardware.

Linux has to be more user frielndly and plug and play, hardware manufacturers have to acknowledge it and support it from day one.

I am not a Unix or Linux export at all, in fact the only commands I know is how to search directories so basically all I have to do is power on the machine, and I want it to boot straight into Xwindows (which I prefer over Windows XP any day) launch my game OR NLE or office package and that's it.

When Linux reaches that stage I will upgrade, and I hope it does soon

Cheers,
Elie

[Marshmallowman]

with linux, you usually download fixes specific to your distributuion form the distributetrs site redhat/suse/mandrake...etc

I use mandake update, its a webupdate function that is very streamlined....you don't have to reboot or do it in severla batchs.

Also the updates are for a lot more extensive than just the base OS and intenet browser..

The fixes are found by a wide variety of soucre, but are alway published and distributed very quickly, microsoft should be so fast and thorough..

Not sure about MS pro, I quite like the opens source stuff thats staring to appear...cineralla..etc

[Brian Ellis]

It's early days yet, but a similar "poll" on the mug-sw netlist is producing similar results, at the moment 5 yes, 1 maybe and 2 nos, making a total of the two of
13 yes, 6 maybe and 5 no. What I find particularly interesting are the 3 non-MSP users who may become so if a Linux version were available.

On this very small sample, obviously prone to statistical distortion, but averaged over 2 sources, it looks as if there may be sufficient interest to justify some thought in the Linux direction. I'll keep you informed on the combined progress until Friday. From then, until the end of the poll (29 September), I'll not be available, but I'll draw a conclusion about 1 October.

Thanks to participants but it would be fairer if the rest of the approx 100 persons who have read the message vote as well, plus any others. The more people who respond, the more accurate it becomes.

[K6-III]

Personally, I would love to see Mediastudio Pro for linux...

[Brian Ellis]

Current score, as in order above:
Mug Murc Total %
0 1 1 3
2 4 6 18
1 3 4 12
0 3 3 9
6 9 15 45
3 1 4 12
0 0 0 0

This summarises as
7 No
7 Maybe (incl 3 non-MSP/Win users)
19 Yes

It is still looking as if there may be a market for MSPro for Linux, but let's get in a lot more votes, please!

Sorry for the poor tabulation: limitation of the system!

[Brian Ellis]

Come on, lads and lassies, please vote: we can do better than that!

[Brian Ellis]

Interim scores as of morning of lucky Friday the 13 th (on which day I'm flying to the United Arab Emirates!)

Unfortunately, I haven't found a way of tabulation from an Excel file here but you can find it here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mug-sw/files/poll.xls

In the order above, the MURC results (votes/ rounded %) are
2 - 7
5 - 18
3 - 11
4 - 14
11 - 39
3 - 11
0 - 0
The MUG-SW results are:
0 - 0
3 - 17
2 - 11
0 - 0
10 - 56
3 - 17
0 - 0
These give an aggregate of:
2 - 4
8 - 17
5 - 11
4 - 9
21 - 46
6 - 13
0 - 0

Summary of the 46 votes cast to date:

No - 10 - 21.7% (q 1 & 2)
Maybe - 9 - 19.6% (q 3 & 4)
Yes - 27 - 58.7% (q 5 & 6)

I will not give any more interim results, as I'm away from all computers until the end of the month, but will publish the final results about 1 October.

Please keep the votes rolling in in my absence! Thanks!

[funky-d-munky]

Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra, Cinelerra,
and for those with some micro$oft brand cotton balls in your ears CINELERRA!!!!!!!!!!

[Brian Ellis]

I sent the following e-mail to Ulead, giving the final results:

I recently ran a mini survey on the MUG and MURC forums to find out whether there was interest in porting MSPro to work on a Linux platform. The number of respondees was not high (55) but the idea may give you sufficient grounds to warrant your conducting a larger-scale market research.

The questions are as follows and the numbers following each question are respectively
- the number of respondees replying positively to the question in the MURC forum
- the percentage of the total from the MURC forum
- the number of respondees replying positively to the question in the MUG forum
- the percentage of the total from the MUG forum
- the total number of respondees replying positively to the question
- the percentage of the total from both forums

Question: Would you like to see Media Studio Pro for Linux?

Answers:
1. No, it doesn't interest me: I don't use MSPro, anyway 3, 8.11, 0, 0.00, 3, 5.45
2. No, I use MSPro, but am not likely to use Linux within the foreseeable future 5, 13.51, 3, 16,67, 8, 14.55
3. Maybe, I use MSPro now, but I'm not sure about moving to Linux 5, 13.51, 2, 11.11, 7, 12.73
4. Maybe, I don't use MSPro now, but I could become interested if a Linux version were available 7, 18.92, 0, 0.00, 7, 12.73
5. Yes, I would use it immediately it became available 12, 32.43, 10, 55.56, 22, 40.00
6. Yes, I could be interested in it within a year or so 5, 13.51, 3, 16.67, 8, 14.55
7. Don't know! 0, 0.00, 0, 0.00, 0, 0.00

This summarises overall in percentage
No 20.00
Maybe 25.45
Yes 54.55

I have a few comments to make from respondents and myself:
a) the general pattern is similar with both forums
b) the possibility of increasing your user base by up to 12% is interesting (the 0 respondees in the MUG forum is normal, as this is specifically for MSPro users, so I would not expect non-users to respond.
c) 55 responses out of many hundreds of subscribers to these forums is obviously not statistically valid, but it could be indicative.
d) the high "yes" result is undoubtedly because Windows is not really a suitable or stable platform for video work, whereas Linux, being leaner, could lend itself better.
e) there is obviously a high interest in the competitive Cinelerra software for Linux and some respondents pointed this out.
f) if you went ahead, experience has shown that not all commercial Linux packages are created equal. It would possibly be an idea to concentrate on a single package, such as Red Hat, and let users of other makes sort out problems due to these differences themselves.

I hope this is of interest and I would like to know your reaction.

Best regards,

Brian Ellis