You can get a rough idea of the number of Linux audio users by looking at the statistics in the footer of the Linuxmusicians forum. The number of registered users, total posts, and overall activity give at least some indication of the community size.

Of course, not everyone who makes music on Linux uses forums, so the real number of users is certainly higher. Still, this suggests that the active community is at least several thousand users.

But from the perspective of hardware manufacturers, is that a large enough market? That is actually a very good question.

@Kubrak
Does it make sense to discuss how many Linux users with RME devices are out there and what the main problem „probably“ is (or is not)? Seems you are experienced in developing audio drivers /kernel modules (for Linux)? Would be interested to read/hear your experience… here or via pm (if you prefer)…

@Mike Shield
You seem to frequently request for Linux support… But I couldn’t find any hints what device you own or if you already tried the available Linux open source projects (like for example Bbfpromix, hdspe, etc) which definitely exist (and work very well afaik).
What is your personal missing option? What device do you use?

—-

I just think trying to be constructive may be a better way going forward instead of discussing again and again and again subjective opinions…?

Sure, it makes fundamental sense, how many RME customers use Linux. Developing and maintaining SW for them would cost something, this cost should be covered by future buys of RME HW plus certain premium. Otherwise it makes no sense to enter the Linux market.

And beside SW development and maintenance, there is also support. It also costs. And RME is known to support their devices for decades. If they start Linux support, it is in fact forever. They cannot try for few models and if it does not work financially stop it...

I am SW developer, but not for drivers. From my experience, maintenance and support costs multiple of development (on longer horizon). That is why I wrote that cost of development the drivers is just a smaller part of the overall cost.

+1

Thanks for the comments. I also want to say that I really appreciated the message from RME support earlier in the thread. Because of that, I decided to stay and at least continue following this forum for the time being.

Just to clarify my situation a little bit: I’m using RME Fireface series devices, and from my perspective the work maggie33 has been doing around using them on Linux is probably the most relevant project going forward.

Class-compliant mode with these devices already works very well, and if the functionality provided by the oscmix application continues to develop, it would basically cover everything I need for the foreseeable future.

So for me personally, that path already looks quite promising for Fireface users on Linux.

Thanks again for the discussion.

p.s.
maggie33, that feels like the right direction for the osxmix application.

Alright, here is my honest take. I have read everything discussed in these threads, along with many other posts on this forum, and my conclusion is this:

Windows is one of the worst platforms to build a truly professional audio environment on, especially when the same machine also has to handle demanding video and 3D work. I am still on Windows 10 because it can be managed to a certain extent, but in my experience, latency-related issues can never be fully eliminated. The platform is simply not implemented well enough for consistently reliable low-latency audio performance.

And as for USB, in my opinion, it has never delivered as advertised in real-world professional use. I understand that this is not necessarily RME’s fault, and I also recognize that their drivers are among the best available. But the idea of “rock-solid drivers” only holds true up to a point, especially once you start pushing lower buffer sizes over USB.

Even after applying every optimization and tweak recommended on this forum, Windows still ends up causing problems from time to time. It may improve things, but it does not fully solve them. Maybe USB 3 devices perform better, but I cannot speak to that from enough direct experience.

So far, the only platform I consider truly suitable for professional work — without needing constant maintenance and troubleshooting — is macOS, and especially my MacBook Pro M1.

IMHO any decent computer with MacOS/Win/Linux is suitable for Pro work. And each of those three platforms has its advantages and drawbacks...

Nothing is wrong with that at all. Sorry if I was unclear. Its just my personal "doubt"...

The strenght of Apple devices is in that that there is only very limited set of HW configurations. Because of that it works fine in most cases. And does not work so well, if there is an design flaw... Which happens here and there.

And design of Apple Silicon CPU has its advantages and disadvantages...

Also the fact that Mac is closed platform and Apple develops the both HW, OS and most of user SW is the advantage. But it has also drawbacks...

Weak point of Apple devices is that there is only limited set of HW configurations.  And Apple does not care about compatibility...

Win may be pain, but it is mainly when one buys rather cheap computer using poor HW parts with poor drivers... But still I have been using Win 30+ years on several tens of computers and no real problems...

And Linux goes even one step further. There is vast variety of HW (even wider than on Win) and vast variety of OSes... That brings even more freedom, but has its costs... But I am not Linux user, so I cannot comment more.

@maggie33

DAWs currently available on Linux include Ardour, Harrison Mixbus, REAPER, Studio One, Tracktion Waveform, LMMS and Bitwig Studio.

Based on my own experience, I have mainly used Ardour and Mixbus, which share the same foundation. Both have a lot going for them, especially if you are coming from something like Pro Tools, as the overall logic and workflow feel quite familiar.

Ardour is very stable and lightweight. It is capable of handling essentially everything you would expect from a modern DAW. For some users the interface might feel a bit rough or less polished compared to something like Logic Pro, but that ultimately comes down to personal preference.

Mixbus stands out with its analog style mixer and workflow. It has a certain sound and feel that makes mixing particularly enjoyable. I consider it an excellent tool especially for mixing. It is also worth noting that while Mixbus fully supports recording and all other production tasks, it is somewhat heavier on the system compared to Ardour due to its design.

I personally use both depending on the situation. Ardour works extremely well for recording, while Mixbus often feels more natural for mixing. Editing is very well thought out in both.

I have heard a lot of good things about REAPER, especially regarding its efficiency, flexibility and lightweight nature. Many describe it as a power user DAW that can be shaped into almost anything if you are willing to invest the time to learn it properly.

Others can share their own experiences and elaborate further on how these compare to something like Cubase or other mainstream DAWs.

I could link a few tracks I have worked on, but if that might cause any negative reactions for some people, I will leave them out for now.

Finally, with RME Fireface interfaces and Ubuntu Studio, everything works together very tightly in CC mode.

@Mike

The same DAWs recommended @sjzstudio to me...
So I'll dive in to Ardour and Mixbus the next weeks/months    

Thank you both a lot!