I’m a musician composing and producing music for films/TV documentaries.
Due to some horrible decisions recently made by Microsoft regarding “Windows 11” and possible future versions of Windows, I have decided that “Windows 10” is my last Microsoft operating system, meaning, I won’t upgrade it any further and so, I regret to inform you that I have decided to not buy any more VSTi or instrument libraries (from any vendor) that do not offer an installer or be Linux compatible.
Thank you for your fantastic service so far and I wish Steinberg all the best success.
I was in the same dilemma so until or if a Linux version is available ( which I won’t hold my breath for ) I decided to switch to a 16” Macbook Pro M2 Max. Was expensive but I haven’t regretted the decision at all and haven’t even turned on the pc daw for months.
You are not wrong but somehow I have hopes that someone from Steinberg reads this, if not.. well, we can’t have everything in life, can we?
About the Linux adventure, thank you. So far so good. I’m loving it. I have all software that I use daily, running on Linux (or equivalent Linux apps).
Only some VSTi and Orchestral libraries (that require some specific authorization system) do not work in Linux, even using WINE. Fortunately, most VSTis works just fine (using WINE) and are enough for me to continue composing music as usual. Besides that, I have a dual boot for Linux and Windows 10 with all my instrument libraries fully functional. I guess that the only downside is that my Music Workstation PC will be like that for ever (like if it was an hardware synth). No updates, no upgrades. I also must accept that those VSTi and libraries eventually will stop being updated /upgraded when the developers require Windows 11 (or above).
Again, we can’t have it all. In the end there’s always the Apple computers option (like Paul_Bryce pointed early). Life is made of changes, hopefully for better. For worst I don’t need any.
I totally understand your situation. I am not happy at all with the direction Windows is going since Windows 10. At least with Windows 7, I still felt like I had some kind of control over my personal preferences and system settings. That was probably already just an illusion. I hate Windows 11, even though it hasn’t caused me any issues as far as the software I choose to run goes. The days of feeling like I have control over my user experience are long gone, I’m afraid. I have yet to venture into the Linux world, but I am more tempted every day to do some investigating.
If you decide to investigate I can recommend “Linux Mint”. It is a seamless transition from Windows since the Desktop experience is practically the same. Most people avoids Linux because they believe, they need to know complex commands and write them in a terminal (like the old DOS) but it is not the case anymore.
Sure, the terminal is there for users that like to use it and to explore but it is hardly needed for regular users, like us, that only need a platform to work /compose music. Anyway, be aware that if your workflow is tied to a DAW that only runs in Windows, that may be a problem, fortunately I use a DAW in Windows that also offers a Linux installation. Also there are some very well known and good DAW options for Linux but I do understand the resistance or reluctance about Linux, I also was a bit scared in the beginning but now, well now I will never go back to Windows.
If I do decide to explore the Linux environment, it won’t be on my main DAW machine. It will probably be on my 11 year old son’s computer which is a near duplicate of mine.
Anyway, I’m sure you are aware of the current thread(s) concerning Steinberg and Linux …
I’ve decided to stick with Windows 10 – I don’t know until when? I have a new, powerful PC – but it will stay on Windows 10 forever. Just like my previous one, it’s on Windows 7 – with programs that are up-to-date for Windows 7. For now, I’m updating my music programs – because they’re compatible with Windows 10. Then I’ll stop for a while – to a new PC. That’s not stopping me from playing music. Good music was made the same way 10 years ago as it is now. The key is having the latest software for the latest Windows and the latest hardware.
Plus? – no expenses for new upgrades, new hardware, no learning new instructions, upgrades completed with patches – meaning fewer bugs.
I’ll focus on music, maybe buy some guitars, an interface…
Oh – I’ve consulted with AI – more than one – and they all give me a high five, or rather, a grunt – I don’t know if Google translated that last sentence correctly. I’ll add – all AIs congratulate me on my accuracy. And you?
Perhaps I’ll add some clarification.
The key is to have compatible programs, Windows versions, and hardware. And the fact that they’re a few years older isn’t a big deal.
And a second clarification.
AIs confirmed that my reasoning was correct—and that many developers do the same.
Meanwhile, at least for Europe, there’s no pressing need to upgrade to Windows 11:
Add to this the fact that at least two blockers to Linux migration of Cubase have been removed with the introduction of online activation (Steinberg Licensing) and more recently, the move to dual licensing of ASIO (now also GPLv3), so there is still hope.
Recently, I got caught up in investigating Linux for musical exploration, and my conclusion is that you have to choose the right distribution and not be hung up in the VST format. The one I chose is Kubuntu LTS 25.04, and I think that from a musical perspective, it might not be the best choice.
The operating system itself is great and really pleasant to use for the applications that everyone uses, namely the internet, email, and generally, the LibreOffice suite is installed by default, ensuring compatibility with other similar suites. While it’s generally easy to use, it can be disorienting at first.
All peripherals were recognized, as was my Steinberg UR22 audio interface.
Since this wasn’t a music-focused distribution, applications like Ardour and others weren’t installed. But personally, despite Ardor being a professional DAW, my choice leaned more towards Bitwig Studio (Linux native), which generally supports all formats, specially the CLAP format.
I installed and configured Wine and Yabridge for Windows VST2 and VST3 compatibility, but Bitwig seems to have difficulty recognizing them. For now, I’ve put this VST adventure aside to focus on Bitwig and the CLAP format, and I’m surprised and impressed by this DAW. I decided to explore it without access to VST plugins and discover what it contains and see what’s under the hood. So far, I haven’t been disappointed.
I’m sorry for your problems. It doesn’t matter which Win/Apple platform you’re using. We’re in the same boat. Best of luck with your LinuxVentura, of course. I found myself in the same dilemma on both main platforms, and at some point you’ll have to do it. If not for the software, then for the hardware.
In my case, I’ll continue on Sonoma (Apple) with my M1 Max.
On Windows, I’m on 25H2 on my two computers (one of them NOT officially supported, but it works), and so far, fortunately, I’ve had no problems. I don’t like either Apple’s or Microsoft’s direction with AI, but it seems like it’s here to stay, and as long as it can be disabled, I’ll do so to avoid wasting those resources. In the end, I’ll move forward.
I wanted to look into ntlite once more to see whether it can manage bloat, telemetry and forced online accounts. Has anyone looked into that already?
To be honest, I’d be very happy to see Steinberg go for Linux as well. But I’m still waiting for the announced BeOS Cubase. It’s a few years overdue by now unless I missed the cancellation.
Yes, in Europe we have one more year of support but then we’ll be in the same spot in Oct2026. Like said by others in this conversation, I also plan to keep Win10 (in dual boot only for music - if needed but I hope not) with all my instruments updated, until they become not legible for further updates, but I’m done with Microsoft intrusion and demands branding my PC “outdated hardware”.
Yes. I was aware of such. It has been a bumy road tho. I hope it turns into something real for all Steinberg Cubase users. I don’t use Cubase but I believe that people should be able to choose Linux, since its now the 3rd most used OS (not counting the “servers” because almost all “servers” run on Unix (Linux).
I’ve been on Win 11 Pro for years now with very few problems. I too use my DAW for a living, “professionally”, and the OS has never gotten in the way of that.
Even if it is obvious to you it might be worth telling others what to “look out for” and for Steinberg to know what user concerns are. Simply saying (paraphrased) “Win 11 sucks, I’m out, cya” doesn’t really help much.
which is a near duplicate of mine.
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