4 ms·

I thought it was a bit odd that he wrote 7 paragraphs about music equipment and software, but didn't mention which GNU/Linux distribution(s) he uses on his "jun

by dbbo 15y ago

I thought it was a bit odd that he wrote 7 paragraphs about music equipment and software, but didn't mention which GNU/Linux distribution(s) he uses on his "junky" laptops.

sirvaliance 15y ago
Don't know why I am answering because my response is most likely inaccurate, but IIRC (specifically from following him on Twitter) he used to use Arch linux for a while. I also remember him complaining about it and IIRC he made a switch. I am sure once he sees the post he will correct me and or answer you.
Tobu 15y ago
I think the yarn about music was his jokey way to play with people's expectations of his life's pie chart.
keithpeter 15y ago
I'm not a programmer, but I suspect the detail on the music gear might be because the sound you get depends on the instruments and effects chain. The code you get out of your coding session, or the LaTeX source for your book, does not really depend on which method you chose to install and update GNU/Linux. Am I being naive here?
- zwieback 15y ago
  I suspect you're right - I spend a lot more time programming than playing music but have a stronger emotional attachment to my music gear than my coding environment. Musicians call it GAS, Gear Acquisition Syndrome, e.g. I've got major GAS for an Ampeg amp.
  - zedshaw 15y ago
    I solved my GAS by replacing the A with C: Gear Construction Syndrome. Now I make myself build it if I want it and I can.
eliasmacpherson 15y ago
It's not clear whether he's using Reaper on Windows, Mac or under WINE either. Would like to know.
pandeiro 15y ago
He mentioned he uses awesome, which probably means he's not using Ubuntu. Just my speculation.
- zedshaw 15y ago
  Nope, you can install awesome on ubuntu and then switch to using it. Best setup is to make a .xsession file and fire up the various gnome services you need. Then have GDM boot up a "User Defined" session (or whatever it's called, I forget).
zedshaw 15y ago
Shiiiit, that's because the music gear is both more fun, has more style, and will actually exist and work well in 20 years. The computers will be gone in like 3 years, so why bother talking about them? But, to answer your question, I use nearly every OS there is: Linux (Arch, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora), NetBSD, FreeBSD, OSX, and Windows. I have to use all of these to test different things on various projects. As I get more into writing books though this narrows down to Ubuntu, OSX, and ArchLinux.
- dbbo 15y ago
  I understand the gearhead mentality (I was raised by one), and I actually enjoyed reading about the music equipment. I just didn't expect it because when I hear "Zed Shaw" I think "programmer", not "musician", even though I realize that few people, even programmers, are one-dimensional. I guess it's just one of my many mental biases. Thanks for putting my question to rest.

by dbbo 15y ago

I thought it was a bit odd that he wrote 7 paragraphs about music equipment and software, but didn't mention which GNU/Linux distribution(s) he uses on his "junky" laptops.

sirvaliance 15y ago

Don't know why I am answering because my response is most likely inaccurate, but IIRC (specifically from following him on Twitter) he used to use Arch linux for a while. I also remember him complaining about it and IIRC he made a switch. I am sure once he sees the post he will correct me and or answer you.

Tobu 15y ago

I think the yarn about music was his jokey way to play with people's expectations of his life's pie chart.

keithpeter 15y ago

I'm not a programmer, but I suspect the detail on the music gear might be because the sound you get depends on the instruments and effects chain. The code you get out of your coding session, or the LaTeX source for your book, does not really depend on which method you chose to install and update GNU/Linux. Am I being naive here?

zwieback 15y ago
I suspect you're right - I spend a lot more time programming than playing music but have a stronger emotional attachment to my music gear than my coding environment. Musicians call it GAS, Gear Acquisition Syndrome, e.g. I've got major GAS for an Ampeg amp.
- zedshaw 15y ago
  I solved my GAS by replacing the A with C: Gear Construction Syndrome. Now I make myself build it if I want it and I can.

eliasmacpherson 15y ago

It's not clear whether he's using Reaper on Windows, Mac or under WINE either. Would like to know.

pandeiro 15y ago

He mentioned he uses awesome, which probably means he's not using Ubuntu. Just my speculation.

zedshaw 15y ago
Nope, you can install awesome on ubuntu and then switch to using it. Best setup is to make a .xsession file and fire up the various gnome services you need. Then have GDM boot up a "User Defined" session (or whatever it's called, I forget).

zedshaw 15y ago

Shiiiit, that's because the music gear is both more fun, has more style, and will actually exist and work well in 20 years. The computers will be gone in like 3 years, so why bother talking about them? But, to answer your question, I use nearly every OS there is: Linux (Arch, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora), NetBSD, FreeBSD, OSX, and Windows. I have to use all of these to test different things on various projects. As I get more into writing books though this narrows down to Ubuntu, OSX, and ArchLinux.

dbbo 15y ago
I understand the gearhead mentality (I was raised by one), and I actually enjoyed reading about the music equipment. I just didn't expect it because when I hear "Zed Shaw" I think "programmer", not "musician", even though I realize that few people, even programmers, are one-dimensional. I guess it's just one of my many mental biases. Thanks for putting my question to rest.