[ubuntu-studio-devel] availability of alternate DEs

[Len Ovens]

On Wed, 3 Oct 2018, Charlie wrote:

> Erich: understood. would the metapackages include the low latency headers as
> well?

in synaptic search for ubuntustudio-* packages install the ones you want 
(audio, graphics whatever) but probably not the desktop. Also install 
linux-lowlatency if you are doing audio work. And install 
ubuntustudio-controls. Do run -controls at least once to set memory limits 
and real time priorities and logout and in. I would warn against the the 
gnome software installer, but the plasma moan (I think it is) is fine. I 
don't know what -default-settings will do for plasma, but it makes sure 
that if you have both generic and lowlatency kernels that lowlatency is 
default. It adds some other audio specific setting (like swappiness) as 
well.

We have been thinking of making Studio an add on rather than it's own 
iso... Maybe a choice to add Studio or make Studio

So install any ubuntu flavour then make it into Studio with that DE:
 	- adds Studio's boot screen
 	- adds Studio's startup graphic
 	- maybe remove generic kernel
 	- make DM Studio specific
 	- make default backdrop Studio specific

Or, add Studio
 	- boot screen, startup graphics, backdrops and DE left as is
 	- lowlatency kernel added as default (or user choice via setup?)
 	- audio tweaks added
 	- Studio metas added (as chosen)

This would really require an updated -install package I think as well as 
some extensions to -controls... though swappiness 60 is not really good 
for any desktop use anyway. Maybe some of the other tweaks we make can be 
just left in.

I don't know how easy it would be to make an install iso where the user DL 
an iso of the flavour of their choice and the studio install iso... 
installs the flavour and then installs the studio iso on top choosing 
option A or B as above (or some variant).

This would replace our live ISO and xfce would no longer be "the Studio 
DE". It would be based on the net iso instead of desktop and would ensure 
proper install order, proper install user groups, proper jackd install, 
etc.

In the case of installing over a fresh install, the Make this into Studio 
choice would be default. If the user has logged in at least once since 
install (~/.config exists) then the Add studio to this flavour would be 
default.

Just an idea... it would be some work to get there... but it would be some 
work to go anywhere from here.

--
Len Ovens
www.ovenwerks.net