[Ardour-Users] [OT] Degrees of DIY (was:Re: OSX vs Linux)

[Lamar Owen]

On Sunday 23 August 2009 02:32:38 pm Thomas Vecchione wrote:
> On Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 6:45 AM, Rob Quin <robquin at uklinux.net> wrote:
> > Linux is a DIY operating system. 

> For the record, I strongly disagree with the concept that any distribution
> of Linux needs to be a DIY system.  That defeats one of the main purposes
> of distributions, otherwise we would all run LFS.

There are degrees and shades of DIY.

To use the analogy of 'hotrodding' cars, there are degrees of hotrodding that 
can be done, from a simple engine swap in an otherwise stock vehicle to a 
custom kit engine with Edelbrock intake, dual Holley double pumper four 
barrels (or a six pack of Weber single barrels with a Roots blower on top), 
specialized chips for EFI controls, and the like.  

And there are different 'scenes' of hotrodding.  One can hotrod for speed; 4 
wheel drive enthusiasts might hotrod for rock crawling (where you need 
ultralow gear ratios, using cascaded modified transfer cases, and no sway bars 
for maximum suspension travel).  Things can be as simple as bolt on kits, or 
as complex as shortening a pair of Dana 44 axles for an old Willys narrow 
track CJ and adding Arb airlockers front and rear.  Cantilever rear 
suspensions to work around the steamroller tires of a streetrod drag racer are 
typically pretty custom things, too.

LFS is like taking bare tubular steel, sheet metals, sandcasting equipment, 
and a fully equipped machine shop and rolling your own vehicle from complete 
raw materials (if one really wants to go full scratch then one needs one's own 
smelter and foundry, though...... and a mine helps, too).  But there is a 
distinct satisfaction in knowing you did it yourself.

AVLinux, to use a less 'from scratch' distribution, is more like taking, oh, a 
'69 Chevy Nova and dropping a 454 Chevy big block overbored eighty 
thousandths, sporting 11:1 pistons, with a blower and eight Webers with a 
custom hood and scoop, beefed up T56 six speed transmission, 4.11:1 geared 
limited-slip rear end, lots of rubber on the rear, and wheelie bars for 
streetrodding.  These would be all bolt-on kit mods with little to no true 
custom fabrication (except the sheet metal work on the hood); and AVLinux is, 
after all, based on 'bolt-on' mods to Debian Testing with a little bit of 
sheet metal cutting and welding for good RT performance and good Ardour/JACK 
integration.  And even though such a setup isn't as 'from scratch' there is 
still a distinct builder's satisfaction (one of the keys of a good and lasting 
education experience, incidentally).

And I will contend that Linux, in the collective sense of the set of all 
distributions, is currently an Enthusiast's OS. And I'll further contend that 
that is OK. I personally WANT something with which I have to tinker to get it 
'Right.'  But that's just me; keeps my brain exercised.  I'm not sure I'd want 
to roll my own, though, at this time.  I get my craving to tinker filled 
without going to that extreme, at this time at least.

Degrees and shades of DIY, that is the point.