[ardour-users] running ardour and linux w/out internet

[Josh Karnes]

Paul Davis wrote:
>>So, please, instead of focusing what I 'should' have,
>>is anyone willing to help me with my direct problem of
>>viewing my DVD drive from the terminal and getting apt
>>to find the drive to mount files?
> 
> 

Hey,

I had it running on FC1 off the net and everything worked great.  I didn't 
use apt, since it seems to be really geared towards an internetworked 
environment.  Instead I just installed RPM's and chased down all of the 
dependencies manually.  It's doable.  Just copy all the RPMs from planet 
ccrma to a CD and then mount the CD, try installing stuff, and whenever you 
get into a failed dependency just find the file on the cd and install it 
first.  You just have to keep notes and figure out how to tell from file 
names what libraries are contained therein.  Takes a couple of hours to 
completely build a box this way.

I think there are major pros and cons to running the machine off the 
network.  Big pro is that it's more stable and runs with lower static 
resource load if you just don't turn on any modules you would need for 
networking...  remove the network cards of all kinds, don't load any drivers 
or config, all that.  Frees up IRQs for sound cards and that kind of thing. 
  System simplicity is a very good thing and IMHO should be key in an audio 
system.  There is really no reason to network an audio computer.  You'd 
never think about putting a tape machine on the internet.

The flipside is that it does complicate updates.  This is one of the reasons 
that for now, I am abandoning Ardour and Linux, which require way too 
frequent touches and updates to keep them working.  I want to get the system 
up and running ONCE and get on to making recordings for a couple of years at 
a time, without the first question for me when I reach out for support being 
"are you running the latest tarball?".  This is why I am back to Win98SE and 
an older, but very stable version of Nuendo.  I mean, the latest audio 
drivers for Win98SE and my sound card are over four years old.  Not hard to 
keep current.  I mean, we have a recording console and a pile of guitar amps 
that are all over 30 years old, a couple of guitars and a tube hifi that are 
over 40 and a couple more guitars in their 20s, and 23 mics ranging from 
youthful 5ish to going-on-70.  This is not to mention the library of vinyl 
LPs and CDs that go way back.  I'm supposed to upgrade my recording aparatus 
every few months?  I don't think so.