Cubase Support for Linux

Cubase
306

That’s true. And today that’s limited to Windows and MacOS. Now you’re talking about an exponential increase in eventuality. And in those cases it’s pretty obvious, even though “XP vs Win11” isn’t anywhere near the same thing as “one of 20 distros vs another.”

No, it’s just looking at a 40,000 unit sales goal requirement just to break even on a 24-month, $12M or more investment. This, in the face of the glaring reality that the current client base already purchased Win/Arm/Mac versions, and these (from what I have seen) are the only people asking for a Linux version. I presume you guys would naturally expect this new Linux version to be free to you, right? You’re not willing to pay for ANOTHER license just to get Linux. Therefore, they need 40,000 NET NEW customers just to break even (based on the general estimate I did which may be wrong) which doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen, because it would have to represent 40,000 who have NOT bought Cubase today, and who will ONLY buy it if they get a Linux version. Which further means they already have a Linux solution, right? So now SD has to pull those 40,000 people away from their current vendor.

So it’s just a “realistic” view, not whatever “tired old game” you’re referring to (though reality is indeed tired and old, but still reality).

2 Likes
307

That is one of the reasons why support usually asks for diagnostic reports, because they generate the correct release information into the package.

308

Yes I am 100% willing to pay for a new license to run Cubase on Linux (distro of SB’s choosing).
From where are you getting those sales and investment figures ?
Not sure about your “exponential increase in eventuality”. There’s an awful lot of Android out there…
The “tired old game” always tries to present itself as “reality” but the old monopolies are not the only game in town and the US is really not doing itself any favours right now…
What’s in it for you to be arguing so passionately against a Linux version ?

309

Android is not Linux Distro. The kernel is based on Linux, but all the rest is significantly different and does not compare to a full Linux distribution at all.

1 Like
310

If they are not the “only game in town” then, by definition, they are not monopolies. But that’s a different conversation.

It’s from having insight (direct, indirect, and management) of development projects in med-large organizations bound to profit requirements, particularly in wholly owned subsidiaries of parent corporation divisions. YMMV.

That is, at best, a mischaracterization of what I said. I’m not arguing against anything at all, much less “passionately.” I’m just saying “it’s not going to happen.” That is, of course, my opinion, and I have no way of knowing - Timo could be writing a “Exciting News” press-release right this very moment as far as I know.

I replied (against my better judgment) because this is a public forum where people share their opinions, and insofar as the discussion of “possibility” was concerned, I hadn’t seen any realistic (or unrealistic for that matter) pen-to-paper estimates on what it would cost to make it happen. Even if my figures are off by 20%, that’s still 32,000 conversions they have to make just to break even on development and without continued support costs. So far, they’ve got you saying you’ll pay for another license. Only 31,999 more to go! :slight_smile:

Let me ask you then, what are you running Cubase on today? And are you integrating with other products that would also need to be developed for Linux? Because my estimate was just for Cubase.

Actually, never mind. I doesn’t really matter, and like I said, I could be wrong.

EDIT - I had my math wrong and originally put 29,199 but changed it.

EDIT AGAIN! HAHAHAHAHAHA. I still got it wrong. LOL. Maybe my figures shouldn’t be trusted.

1 Like
311

At risk of lurching into the Monty Python Argument Sketch, isn’t this an argument ? :wink:
Are you saying that you work for Steinberg and thus know their budgeting policies ?
Seems like you’re quite dedicated to telling everyone that Cubase on Linux is not a realistic proposition. I’m curious to know what you’re getting out of this ?

312

There is ways to distribute commercial applications that is independent on OS-dist.
Eg only dependent on kernel. Flatpak or snap.

313

No risk of argument here, though it seems like that’s what you want. I have explicitly answered all your questions, and you’re again acting like I’m saying something I’m not saying - in fact, I have given direct answers contradicting your classification.

I’ll try one last time to make an evidence-based observation, irrespective of your continued efforts to infer subterfuge on my part.

This is just something for you (and anyone else who cares) to simply take into consideration: SB is an audio/music/production software company. Right this moment, they have butts-in-seats actively shipping product. They have developers, managers, partner channels, distribution channels, eCommerce solutions, web developers, marketing, sales, etc. etc. teams already all set to write code and sell product. It’s almost like they are the PERFECT team to develop a nix version of Cubase, right? I mean, could anyone be more ideally poised to do this?

So why haven’t they? Yamaha has owned them for over 20 years, so the structure is mature. If the company could make a great product at a profit by releasing SB products for Linux, then don’t you think they would have already done it? It’s a business, and they EXIST to turn a profit (ultimately).

Seems pretty simple to me. I’M not really the one saying it’s “unrealistic;” they are. And if you trust their expertise to make the right kind of development decisions for the product itself, it seems like you would respect their decisions regarding which platforms they release it on. That’s all I was saying, and I don’t really think it’s cool for you to try and make it sound like I’m saying otherwise, particularly when you infer I’m being disingenuous. Good luck out there.

1 Like
314

Sure but still Linux kernel.

315

I refer the honourable gentleman to the Monty Python Argument sketch mentioned previously.
Plus one for Cubase on Linux :wink:

316

@Chris_Barnes I can’t help but think you want to convince @Thor.HOG to turn his realistic view on this matter (based on his personal experience in that field) into a statement of emotional support for Cubase.on Linux in general. These are two different levels and being realistic about something doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t wish it was different. Just saying.

5 Likes
317

@Thor.HOG is being too nonsensical with his real world scenarios of how a business actually works and thinks. :rofl:

1 Like
318

Keeping the original thread alive: Plus one for a Linux version of Cubase !

I’m wondering what inference you are deriving from my questioning your motivation for posting on this forum thread ? I’m wondering why you would go straight to inference rather than answering my question on motivation ? What’s uncool about asking what your agenda is ? I do appreciate your responding to me. Surely you can see that your response does indicate a certain level of passion ?
I’m wondering why you are in denial that there is an argument going on here when the definition of the word argument is “a reason or set of reasons given in support of an idea, action or theory” ? (Or direct from the Python Script: “An argument is a collective series of statements to establish a definite proposition.”)
BTW: I prefer to have arguments over beer. It’s more fun. :wink:

If you’re not working for Yamaha/SB, would it be inappropriate to ask for whom are you working ? I’m guessing it’s a software company developing solely on Windows / MacOS ?

Are you sure it’s just me asking for Cubase on Linux ? I’ve seen quite a lot of folks just in this thread asking for it ? Is it fair to assume that anybody who wants a Linux version of software is expecting to get it for free ? What if I prefer the architecture of Linux without the proprietary hardware and walled garden of MacOS ? What if I want to reduce my dependence on US owned operating systems ?

A man can dream:
I’d be really interested in a single unit, 19" rack mount, fanless hardware appliance with embedded ADC/DAC/MIDI I/O running Cubase on an optimised, rock solid, Linux distro. With sufficiently low latency and reliability, we’re looking at both a DAW and a VST performance instrument. I currently don’t dare take a machine running MacOS or Windows on a gig…

1 Like
319

Please see my further response of Thor.HOG here.
I hope that answers your question ?
I can’t help wondering what is your interest in all of this ?
Just saying…

Plus one for Cubase on Linux ! Keeping the thread alive !

1 Like
320

- Kraftwerk enters chat -

1 Like
321

I have paid for Cubase 14 on Windows and awesome Cubase is the only software I use on windows - everything else is Linux on my high-end dual-boot machine. I’d really love Cubase for Linux!

Windows 11 is out of scope for me as it bogs down everything and don’t allow me to choose what to install or not and I cannot choose when to reboot, I cannot disable ask for install of copilot etc. Apple is a lock-in walled garden also out of scope.

I would not hesitate to pay again if I could get Cubase 14+n as a snap for ubuntu or similar.

3 Likes
322

I’m squarely in the “do not waste time & resources on porting to Linux” camp.

The software is already too buggy on both Mac and Windows: that should be where Steinberg is focusing its resources and carving out extra budget.

As a daily Linux user, it’s a giant can of worms that never ends. Just do not. Just don’t. It’s not worth it.

2 Likes
323

… so why (and how) are you using it daily?

324

Sorry, without wanting to add more noise to this debate, I have been using Linux since it’s very inception, and UNIX years before that. I currently deploy several distros in production critical servers and I have no wriggling worms that you metaphorically mention, and the current Linux distros are the very model of stability and rugged reliability, and security. If they were not, how would it explain that almost every web page you read of the billions are mostly served off Linux servers?

Maybe you could sort out your issues on the many dedicated and helpful Linux forums.

3 Likes
325

Just dropping to say hello Steinberg - just because Linux is open source does not mean you have to give away your software for free. There is no implication of that. There are many commercial software apps for Linux, even in the DAW space, such as Bitwig, n-track, and Studio One.

I’d be more than happy to pay for Cubase on Linux. So that’s one pre-order you have, at least. :slight_smile:

I know there are other subtle issues, but commercial charging should not be a holdback, methinks.

2 Likes