So, are you a creative worker using Ubuntu? Share your experiences!

[FFighter]

Even though I currently mainly work developing web solutions (web applications) using Rails, Plone and sometimes PHP, something that I also love is graphics design and drawing. The visual and communication aspects of it fascinate me.

Linux has evolved **a lot** in this field as more people began to use it to get work done. In the beginning it was a field of only kernel and C hackers and I think that's why the earlier GUI's were so ugly! (With all due respect - I also enjoy low-level stuff, but only as a hobby and for the sake of knowledge).

I would like to know from other creative Linux users, what software you are using and if you still need Windows or Windows software.

I still happily use Photoshop and Flash on a XP that is always running in my 2nd workspace. I must say I love Photoshop and Flash Platform is an affair that will never end, I love to play with it and I plan in following a career as a creating content and solutions in the Flash Platform (Flash and Flex).

I honestly don't find GIMP all that good. The interface is so awkward that it hides all the power people say it has, I can't stand it, use it only if it really is all that I have access in the moment (i.e. No Photoshop) and for simple touches, even there, its workflow seems overly complicated.

Inkscape seems nice, but I still prefer CorelDraw. I'm not a vector or drawing guru, but Corel has lots of minor stuff in its workflow that really makes things more enjoyable.

So, in the end, Linux is my platform of choice, I enjoy it and I don't have a problem having to run XP in a secure sandbox and having the best of both worlds.

[FFighter]

So, I assume then that there aren't many creative workers around?

[Stochastic]

Well you're post was geared toward graphics, but I'm a creative worker whose passion is music. It could also be that there's a lack of technical glitches in the graphics programs (I haven't found many) so there's very few graphical users on the forums.

[FakeOutdoorsman]

I work with video. I still dual boot Windows XP only to use Adobe Premiere and After Effects. I run Photoshop in VirtualBox for simple editing and for error checking my web sites in IE. I use GIMP rarely. If Adobe made their products run natively in Linux, my XP partition would have been dumped years ago. Alas.

Although I'll edit in Premiere, I do nearly all of my video transcoding in Linux, mostly with ffmpeg and x264. Encoding in Adobe Premiere is atrocious.

[ironflippy]

I also work with music. Linux has been improving vastly in the creative arts department, but I still find it frustrating to do any real work in it. There are too many half finished programs out there, little to no documentation, and very poor implementations. I feel like all of the creative arts are still in a sort of "beta" stage right now. Don't get me wrong, there are some great programs that are currently out there and that I use.

[thorgal]

using linux apps for pro work is an "art" in itself :)
But you would probably feel some sort of frustration, though of a different kind, in using other environments. To my mind, and it's just my opinion, whatever your tools, environment, time, money, etc, producing a piece of art does not come easy and generates a lot of "entropy", if you see what I mean ;)

[FFighter]

using linux apps for pro work is an "art"

Hmm... depends. For art stuff, I agree. People that work with arts (I'm mainly a coder, but I also do some of graphics design stuff) really can't fully depend on Linux-based OSes right now, but the situation is improving!

Think about it. While Gimp and Inkscape are good tools (and they even might be enough for me, since I don't do heavy graphics stuff, however, I really love Photoshop :)), they can't compete with industry-standard Phososhop and Illustrator/Corel.

For coders, however, Linux is a paradise :)

I strongly think that in a near future Linux OSes will be a viable alternative to Windows and Mac OSX, and Ubuntu is one of the key reasons for this big change.

[Stochastic]

This thread really should be in Comunity Cafe.

[prismatic7]

This thread really should be in Comunity Cafe.

Ha, only about 20% of the posts in this forum actually relate to Multimedia Production anyway! Why start now?

[robeast]

This thread really should be in Comunity Cafe.
let it roll

I'm all about the audio apps in Linux. A lot of the "art" of using Linux (as mentioned earlier) is the same as with anything else: you need to find your niche. So far I'm amazed at the shear amount of apps and resources I have at my fingertips. In fact, it is so overwhelming that a lot of my time is spent finding what apps are out there instead of using--or learning--the ones I already have!

But I've definitely found what I'm looking for using a mixture of Ardour for recording/mixing, Rosegarden for sequencing and sheet music, many great synths to control, the LADSPA plugin suite used in either of the apps I mentioned or through Jack Rack, and Pure Data because I also love to program! When I decided to switch to Linux exclusively I knew I was in for a learning experience, so I was ready to put off being really creative and fumble around for a couple weeks just figuring out how things work. Cut to a few months later(!) and I have a good grasp of what apps I like, how to use them and how to find more things I'll want to use.

I actually ended up making some cool music today with a signal chain I've never tried before:

PD MIDI Out >> Nekobee DSSI Synth >> Jack Rack >> Ardour

and also something else with my usual:

Rosegarden w/ DSSI synth >> Jack Rack >> Ardour

I've attached some screenies of the first setup below as well as an audio sample! The Pure Data patch that I built is a branch of a Max/MSP patch from about a year ago called InterVillain. It calculates pitch intervals based on a number of constraints that ultimately generate simple or chaotic patterns. This is my first time using MIDI with InterVillain; I used to use the raw frequencies it generates and control a sine wave, but I've stepped it up to some gnarly synth sounds...and don't forget the reverb!

http://rogerwakeman.net/interVil/iv1/iv1sample.ogg

[prismatic7]

let it roll

yeah, fair enough. Alrighty then. I'm a (theatrical) sound designer, doing my postgrad in Theatre Production. I use Ardour and Audacity, plus some applications (Buzz Tracker, VST's) through Wine.

I plan to spend the mid-year break learning PD for an interactive project, and just for the hell of it. I'd like to play with SEQ24 a bit too, but I'm not sure of the best way to plug it into VSTs...

[Creative2]

i am working with video... and it was so boring old situation with no nice converter.... so i have created fuoco toools xD

i use blender for my video editing
mm then of course fuoco tools for a lots of problems video audio and more
then mm mandvd (after some fix on dvdslideshow)


with blender , kino, fuoco tools mandvd audacity i feell :D good i am freee

[pikseli@work]

I would like to know from other creative Linux users, what software you are using and if you still need Windows or Windows software.

I still happily use Photoshop and Flash on a XP that is always running in my 2nd workspace. I must say I love Photoshop and Flash Platform is an affair that will never end.

Hi!

I'm an visual artist, and I make op-art and illusions. You can see my portfolio at http://csmr.dreamhosters.com.

I have been using Linux for *ALL* my work for the last 4-5 years.

I have used all photoshop versions up to cs, but not much lately. I used to make works by actions and scripting photoshop but it was just too clunky and wasn't as powerful as ruby+SVG combo.

Flash - that cel-vector-animation-tool that grew into a multimedia platform - I dont think its that good. And actionsript is a horrible scripting language, just like Directors lingo was.

I think its mostly about what you are accustomed and used to. Most people see things that are familiar = easy to them as 'good', and thus grow to like certain programs. Personally I think this will limit one as an artist.

Inkscape is great. I use it for light post-processing my vector art. I make my works using ruby scripts that generate SVG vector graphics.

And Blender! OMG! Blender is amazing!

[robeast]

Flash - that cel-vector-animation-tool that grew into a multimedia platform - I dont think its that good. And actionsript is a horrible scripting language, just like Directors lingo was.


word

[-Curtains-]

I'm a creative student I couldn't be happier with Linux.
I'm currently studying for a Degree in design (second year atm) so workloads are HUGE - and I don't have time for tweaking firewalls, dealing with viruses, etc, etc. Linux gives me none of these hassles.
I initially found GIMP useful but, like said in the posts beforehand, it gets clunky. I generally find Photoshop easier to work with, especially from a photomontage point of view.

I find Inkscape great - I prefer it to Illustrator. The workflow just seems a lot easier to me. I'm currently illustrating a project using it now.

Blender - I've been with since I was still on Windows. I prefer it over Maya and/or 3DSMax now - it's unique interface is daunting, yet rewarding. And it seems to generally do what I want it to do - Maya/3DSMax may have more advanced features in some areas, but I never used them anyway!

Cinelerra - I've only experimented with. I have to say Final Cut whips it a bit, but from what I've seen Cinelerra gets the job done. My other problem with Cinelerra is the general appearance of it - especially the icons etc. They look like they're made in MSPaint - it just makes it seem a little unprofessional.

I've still got to try Scribus but I've got high hopes for that. We'll see.

My biggest gripe is not about the apps though, it's about wireless. It's still pretty crappy for Broadcomm users on laptops. If I was a computer moron I would have moved back to ******* weeks ago.

Generally though, I can get everything done. Wine's always there for the big Adobe apps as well, so I'm happy :).

[thorgal]

It's still pretty crappy for Broadcomm users on laptops. If I was a computer moron I would have moved back to ******* weeks ago.
I would phrase it with a twist, the morons are broadcom because their lack of support forces ppl to use an OS they don't necessarily want to use.