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Why Linux?In the implementation of the 3A concept, we
decided to use Linux as operating system (OS) for the dedicated audio
server. To be more specific, we use Linux is free as in beer. This is the first thing which comes into mind when talking about Linux with people who don't know much about this operating system (OS). Sure this is important, because why pay for an OS (as you should be, illegally using an OS like Windows without paying for it is morally out of the question) when you can get it for free. Of course, such a choice can only be made when several OS's are at minimum equal to each other, or, better, when Linux is doing a better job, which it is as you read on. In the end, this simply saves you money, which can be better spend on your audio equipment. The Linux distribution we use for 3A, Ubuntu Linux, has the filosophy of always staying free. Linux is free an in speech. So by now we know that Linux, at least Ubuntu is free of charge. But what's more important, you are allowed to do with Linux anything you like to do with. Linux is known as the single most important Open Source software project, so all source code is available, that's why you can change and recompile parts of the OS. No one is stopping you, all the necessary tools are available and, again, free-of-charge. This is the kind of freedom you like to have. No boundaries, the only limit is your imagination. For 3A, we are using many different modules: for streaming, transcoding, file serving etc. All these modules are present, can and are changed for special use cases in the 3A concept and are very mature. Linux is free of licensing. ... and registration and EULA's (End User Licence Agreements). Basically, it boils down to this: you're free to use and install Linux on any number of machines, without asking consent of the 'owners', without any registration, without any EULA (which only limits your rights of what you can do with software) to accept. This is a massive relief. It seems like any freeware, shareware and commercial software (so excluding specifically Open Source), no matter how small the application is, wants your registration or otherwise control the way you have to use that particular software, to a point where you think it's normal or even defendable. Once you get used in actually using Linux and other Open Source software, where there's typically a complete different approach on this subject, soon you will be addicted and come to the conclusion that all the registration and eula things are *not* normal. For 3A, this means we are allowed with the software what WE like to with it, without being limited by vendors or suppliers through EULA's or registration practices. Linux is flexible and versatile. Linux architecture is strongly modularised. It means that the complete OS consists of a large number of different modules, all doing their own task. Special about this is that a module only does the thing it should do, no more, no less. For other tasks it depends on other, already developed and therefore mature modules. For each and every task, especially within the 3A field, modules are available, again free-of-charge and can be glued together by several techniques, reaching a virtually unlimited flexibility and versatility. Linux is powerful. Because of it's modularity, modules not needed can be left out. The one that's easily spotted, is the graphical user interface (GUI). It should be clear that no one needs a GUI on the server, so it doesn't have to be loaded. Because the GUI is not loaded, it can cannot take any system resources like memory are processor utilisation. The remaining modules all do what the have to do and, as discussed earlier, there are no unneeded modules, the are left out in the first place! Without a GUI, administrative tasks are done in another way, command line interfacing are through a browser-enabled web-interface. But do not fear: such task are very seldom and usually have a place in the implementation phase. In the 3A-concept, we use a power efficient processor for the server, a Via Epia chipset. Bluntly speaking, the isn't the fastest processor on the market. An OS that's using all this power till the last drop for only the things that have to be done, is more than welcome. Linux is stable. Linux only does what is has to do, no more, no less. Furthermore, the Linux architecture is build around security and stability. It's very, very seldom that the central part of the OS, the kernel, is taken down by an application or a device driver. Also, the need for system resources are kept to an absolute minimum, periodically rebooting, recommended with the 'other' OS, is not needed. In practice, Linux servers stay up for years and, even when in use, are easily 'forgotten'. The server is a central element in the 3A-concept. Key to a server is that is never switched off. Once up, it should run forever. Linux is safe. Windows is, sadly as it is, not known as the safest OS. Every once in a while, security breaches are reported. Some say this has something to to do with the widespread use of Windows. Sure, once Linux has the same market share as Windows now has, it will be attacked more often. But, again, architectures in the security field of Windows and Linux are not even comparable. In short, Linux is, due to his Unix background, built around security. Even more, no one is trusted and thus no one has, by default, maximum rights, as the opposite in Windows XP. When speaking in metaphors, Windows is like a normal built house with at maximum locked doors (but mostly unlocked), while Linux is like a castle, with huge thick and high walls, surrounded by water and and a secured bridge. So, breaking in is possible in both cases, only very more difficult in the Linux case! When using a server in the 3A-concept, it should be doing it's work unattended. When we know it's a safe architecture, we can do that with ease of mind. Linux does not suffer from vendor lockin. Vendor lockin is the process in which a vendor, almost mostly of closed source software, is trying all he can do in binding the customer to him. All of this leads to a customer which must play the rules according to the vendor. In contrast, Linux does not have any strategy for vendor lockin. That's because Linux and in general, Open Source, isn't owned by someone. Sure, several vendors like Red Hat or Novell (Suse) distribute Linux commercially, but they don't own Linux. Loading Linux on the dedicated audio server gives the owner of the system the power to determine if and when he is running upgrades for single modules or even complete releases. No one is forcing him. Why Ubuntu?There are about 200 different Linux distributions or distro's (check Distro Watch [distrowatch.com] to see them all), why have we chosen Ubuntu? First, what is a distribution? As we know by now, Linux it self is completely free. You can download the source code and compile Linux your self. Then you download source code for packages you want, say Open Office, and again, compile it into a working executable. As this is not very practical, some people did this already for you: the have chosen a number of packages, compile them and distribute them on an CD or through a downloadable ISO (CD image). They added a installer and a package manager, that's what a distro is basically about. Although all the distro's around, there are only a few which professional quality, polished graphics and excellent installers, package managers and hardware detection. All the others are also good, but serve mostly a very specific function and are not intended for general usage. The most important free distro's are:
Fedora is a deritive from Red Hat, a commercial distro (yes, Linux can also be commercial - main benifit is official support from the distributor). OpenSuse is a deritive from Novell's SLED, also commercial. Ubuntu is not a deritive, Ubuntu is the only version. Often, open variants of commercial distro's (so with active community support) are not as stable or as polished as the commercial ones. What set's Ubuntu apart
At this moment, Ubuntu has a tremendous momentum, at least according to Distro Watch. Everybody is talking about Ubuntu or is actually using it. Because of this, it seems like every issue around Ubuntu is already discussed in the forums and where applicable, a bug report is raised. Of course this enthusiasm can change over time, but for now, it's the most professional, polished and easy to install free Linux distribution.
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