introduction and question regarding customization of Ubuntustudio live DVD

[Burobjorn]

Hi Cory, thanks for your input.

> Ubuntu Studio, as a project has no current plans to produce or support a
> live disk of any sort. (we really need a wiki page to reference this
> because of the frequency of the question)
> 
> 3 reasons:
> 
>     * It would mean 2 additional disks to support. (in various ways)
>     * More space on Canonical and mirror servers are taken up.
>     * We don't believe a live system provides the best latency timings
>       and can tend to make audio demoing look poor.

Allright that's some good reasons and I completly understand. Mhh, lets
brainstorm a bit about it...What about a demo dvd?

What I mean is once in awhile (maybe with every LTS release?) a live dvd
will be created with screencasts, open content and the Ubuntu Studio
version at that moment. It will be clearly labled as a demo. So its
targeted/labled as a promo and not as the real deal.Hopefully taking
away any high expectations about latency. I mean anyone seriously
involved in audio production cannot assume a system working from DVD/CD
to have a low latency? Instead people are encouraged to install the
software to get the 100% awesome experience. Perhaps by using a
third-party we can even distinguish the demo from the real deal even
better and solve the space issue? Although I would like focus on using
Bittorrent and physical discs funded by open oriented organisations, so
the space issues would be minimal. Support will not be give on the demo
disk. After all its just a promo and not the real deal.

Another idea: we could be create a disc full of screencasts and finished
products (music, video etc) to show what's possible with Ubuntu Studio
including a 'smart' and simple way to install the full Ubuntu Studio on
harddisk.

Anyway, I need to think a bit more about your arguments for not having a
live disc.

>> First of all, is there an interest in extending the Ubuntu Studio DVD
>> with open content?
> 
> It would need some lengthy discussion as to if it would be done by default.

Good point. I see two possibilities either by default or a specific
derivative such as a Ubuntu Studio Live Content DVD provided by CC. So
its not the Ubuntu Studio Team how has to care of it ;)

> Things to be considered:
> 
>     * Size

I would suggest all the spare byts we can get besides the applications.
Probably keeping the total to the size of a DVD.

>     * License

I've been thinking about this and at the moment I would suggest to
preferably use the CC-BY, CC-BY-SA and the FDL, but leave some space for
the CC-BY-NC and CC-BY-NC-SA. I don't think it should incorporate any CC
licensed stuff that does not allow derivates. Perhaps we should use the
Freedom-Defined (http://freedomdefined.org/Definition) viewpoint as a
start in this?

>     * Type (ie: stuff for audio, video or graphics?)

A bit of all I would say. It's aimed to wet the appetite not to provide
a decent meal, so to speak :)


>     * Work involved to package and best way ti deliver it. (ie repo or
>       on disk?)

Both. On disk and by using an automated system to use third-party open
content repositories. Why start our own when there are already
repositories available such as Jamendo, Simuze, Gutenberg, Archive etc
etc. I would suggest to use our resources to glue it all together
instead of starting something new.

> 
> 
>> If so, what would be the best way to approach this
>> from a technical perspective: is there already a build system that we
>> can built upon and add for instance auto-curation?
>>   
> 
> No. Not other than our standard packaging system. This could be handled
> through BZR which would make the package easier to manage and integrate
> with Ubuntu. This would still require some initial setup/packaging work.

Ok, perhaps a crazy idea: but why not have a build system which can be
operated through a web browser? Making it available to non-technical
people as well to create their own medium full of free, open source
software and open content tailored to their needs,languages and culture.
That would be really cool! BZR would be used on the backend combined
with some 'glue' to make it happen.


>> I'm really curious to thoughts, remarks and questions regarding this
>> idea. Thanks for reading this rather lengthy message :)
> 
> Sounds like a fun idea. Will just need someone with a plan and time to
> manage it to get it done. :)

Good to hear. I'm working on a plan and hope to have something more next
week. In the meantime I'm talking to people to see if I can get some
funding for working on this so I can spend my time on it.

All the best,

BjornW