[pling]

The out of the box config for JACK Control (I downloaded it in the Audio Pack) might be wrong - it's set for realtime as a default. Is this a mistake, given that Bodhi doesn't have a realtime kernel? (I haven't been able to get JACK and Audacity to work with or without the realtime setting, so I'm not sure..)

[cc_INC]

I believe

sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-rt

Gets the Real Time Kernel on to your Bodhi system.
Configuring JACK depends on your Hardware/Soundcard.
I tinkered with it until I got no more errors in the message window.

[pling]

cc_INC, on 22 March 2012 - 07:17 PM, said:

I believe

sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-rt

Gets the Real Time Kernel on to your Bodhi system.

Yes, but I don't want to run the realtime kernel. No one should, unless they absolutely need it. The point here is that if something is the Bodhi Audio Pack - giving it a sort of compatibility stamp - then it should be reasonably configured to work with Bodhi at the end of an install. And if any more steps are needed, then they should be documented. Even a "You'll have to fiddle with this to get it to work" on the web page and post install is better than nothing. Because if you don't warn people when appropriate then they will have to assume that all the selected Bodhi apps and packages are this way - which might be a major reason to use another distro.

I've done some more research and found this:

http://jackaudio.org/linux_rt_config

-basically, you do NOT need an RT kernel to use the RT setting in JACK (so it's not 100% guaranteed RT) but you need special group privileges.

What I'm saying here is that if there is an exceptional case where an official package is very likely not to run after install then

1. People should be told to expect this (and that the package is unusual in this way)

and

2. If at all possible they should be given some idea what to do - even if it is in the form of a couple of web links

[cc_INC]

In my experience JACK itself always needs a bit of fiddling around with because there is no default setting that will work out of the box unless you are running one of the distro's mentioned in their "Distributions that are known to get this completely right include:" section.
I did install the RT Kernel because it works for me. That is always my approach, just do whatever works.
I understand you are disappointed or even pissed.
Perhaps if we look at Jeff & Co with some puppy eyes they might also "get it right" with the next update/release. I use JACK with Mixxx to DJ and with Qtractor.
For some reason I can't get it to work with LMMS, but assigning ALSA to LMMS worked for me.
I got sound and I get to do what I need and want to do.
But I can definitely understand that it's frustrating.

[Jeff]

I would highly encourage to create a wiki page detailing these instructions -> wiki.bodhilinux.com

In no way shape or form do we say/mention/imply that everything you need will be configured for you to get to work fresh out of the box by installing one of the "application packs" from the website. They are simply meant to encompass a one-click install for a group of specific type of software.

~Jeff

[pling]

This also seems very significant:

http://linuxmusician...php?f=19&t=7110

If you don't have a card with native midi (most don't these days), you have to emulate that with timidity or fliudsynth.

The help at the JACK site seems to be quite inadequate and doesn't, akaik, mention this issue at all. I'm not saying that is the Bodhi teams job to solve these problems - that would be far too much work! Just that it's worth protecting the distro from FUD with a warning that this a highly atypical package.

[pling]

Jeff, on 22 March 2012 - 08:31 PM, said:

In no way shape or form do we say/mention/imply that everything you need will be configured for you to get to work fresh out of the box by installing one of the "application packs" from the website.

Quote

They are simply meant to encompass a one-click install for a group of specific type of software.

The above two statements are not reconcilable. ***People assume that one-click packages will work, short of hw issues.*** And this is reasonable - by providing one-click for selected packages, you're giving them special status. If they don't work, potential users will think that you're sloppy and you don't test these packages. And this will reflect on the distro as a whole.

Nothing is worse for software than FUD - again I'd suggest putting a warning in place on the package webpage and in a read me saying that this is a special case. Info in a wiki is useful, but it doesn't deal with the real issue. I'd even say kill the package and let people get it from the Ubuntu repositories rather than carry on as now. It's obviously your call, but isn't it better to lose a package (or add a readme) than to gain FUD?