PTLE ,98, XP, Vista transition.

[casperfun]

Does anybody remember how long it took before PTLE was compatible with XP during the transition from 98? Thanks.

[wolfskin]

The OS itself wasn't really stable until SP2, though DIGI PT was compatible long before that... Don't rush into Vista... It'll get worse before it gets better

[casperfun]

Yah, but are we suppose to hold off buying a new computer that are soon to be Vista equipped. planning to get a laptop in few months, and I don't want to purchase an xp downgrade os product to put into a vista computer.

[spkguitar]

Yah, but are we suppose to hold off buying a new computer that are soon to be Vista equipped.

Yes. It always has been, and always will be, recommended that if you are going to purchase a new computer for use with Pro Tools, that you purchase a qualified and approved one. Since Vista is not qualified or approved, then any purchase of a computer with the Vista OS on it would be recommended against.

[wolfskin]

Yes. It always has been, and always will be, recommended that if you are going to purchase a new computer for use with Pro Tools, that you purchase a qualified and approved one. Since Vista is not qualified or approved, then any purchase of a computer with the Vista OS on it would be recommended against.

'nuff said!

[spkguitar]

Personally, I would really be interested in having Pro Tools qualified on Vista as well, mostly for the extended RAM capabilities, but I don't see that happening anytime in the near future. Even if it was qualified right now at this very moment, I would not switch until it was proven stable, which won't happen for quite some time. And with all the trouble Digi is having getting PT to run on Core 2 Duo laptops under Windows XP, I would definitely not even consider a Windows laptop, even if I had to "downgrade" the OS.

Then there's the VISTA DRM issue with regards to turning off the S/PDIF I/O. It may be just a bunch of internet rumor-mongering, but... that's a pretty serious issue for us DAW users.

I personally believe there are much more pressing issues for PT than being Vista compatible (like the Core 2 Duo laptop issue). I'd much rather them be spending their development time ironing out the bugs in the current XP version. I'd much rather have a working, stable version of PT so I can get work done instead of the "latest and greatest" that would be full of bugs. Not to mention the delay in development time and possible cost increase that would be required maintaining both sets of code, XP and Vista.

There's lots more to consider here than just "make it work".

[The Weed]

Pro Tools is qualified for XP?

[froyo]

Hello. Well past experience being what it is leads us to think there will not be a workable version for Vista for at least 6 months, and that's very, very optimistic. Digidesign as a whole rarely, if ever, qualifies an OS the day it's released. Now in the last few years there have been some misguided souls that claim Digidesign is heading towards a Windows only or Windows first business model. For this they cite the fact that the manuals now feature a lot of Windows screen shots and that at trade shows you see a lot of Windows machines. However, let's look at some facts.

Digidesign was created as a Mac only company. It's history is Mac only for the longest time. When it introduced Windows it became a Mac first company. Look at the past experience of Pro Tools versions. Whenever there was an OS change in Mac's or hardware change to Mac's, Digidesign as a company quickly jumps out and makes a press release saying that they are aware of it, are testing it and it should be ready in about 4 months or sooner. Windows hardware and software changes hardly ever, maybe never, come along with a public press release, and they take a lot longer to react. A lot longer. It sometimes never happens in some cases.

So the facts are Digidesign never qualifies an OS immediately. When it does so promptly it is never before two or three months and on the Windows side it often takes a lot longer. That's why my guess would be 6 months at the very earliest. My recommendation to anyone would be not to even try Vista for a year. Don't even look at it as an option. If you are buying a new computer simply install XP. I suppose most people that buy Windows computers for audio will build it themselves or have someone build it for them. Just leave Vista out of it. This includes laptops. If it already came pre installed, wipe it out and install XP.

Wait a year or so, play it by ear and cautiously.

[The Weed]

Amen!

When there are drivers for all my peripherals - printer, scanner, etc - and I know all my programs will run under Vista, I might look at it. But I won't go near it at all until Digidesign qualifies it for Pro Tools and the pioneers post that it's stable and works well.

Digidesign as a Windows first company is not an impossibilty, it's just that their profitable user base is Mac and will probably remain so. Avid, the parent company of Digidesign, did try to shift towards Windows, but their user base rebelled at the time.

But think about it. Mac made it's reputation in the graphic, video and audio arenas. It's total market share is under 5%, but at one time, in graphics, audio and video it was close to 100%, certainly 90% or above. The three standard bearers for Mac were Adobe, Avid and Digidesign. They waved the Apple flag and coded their products for Macs. Windows support early on was grudging at best. And understandably so, what with Windows 95 and 98 as a PC OS and the ease of programming for a Mac because it's monolithic and as closed a system as a brick and PC's have so much variation. Then a few things happened:

The market expanded and then exploded with cheaper, copycat programs, cheaper hardware, faster PC processors and home studios in all three arenas mushroomed.

XP turned out to be pretty good as an OS, much better and more stable than 98.

Apple bought e-Magic, dumped the 35% of Logic's user base that were on PC and quietly encroached on Pro Tools territory.

Apple brought out Final Cut Pro and quickly eroded Avid's low end market share.

PC only programs like Cool Edit now Adobe Audition and Vegas came out and worked well and are only PC. Not to mention cross platform programs from Steinberg and others that work better on a PC.

Apple finally stopped calling Intel the great satan and switched to Intel processors, thereby finally closing the CPU horsepower gap with PC's that had existed for a couple or more years.

Now Apple, in addition to Logic and Final Cut Pro, is talking about a digital photo manipulation program and who knows what else on the horizon. You've got the current big 3 caught between a majority of their profitable user base on Mac that wants them to continue their support of Apple and Apple, at one time just a hardware/OS company, that is now after that profitable user base with their own graphics, audio and video products. What would you do?

Cheers,

[wolfskin]

I guess I don't understand the 'technology lust'... I mean, if you've got a working and (relatively) stable system running PT, why would you want to migrate to Vista now? That's just asking for all sorts of headaches and growing pains... Really! The OS itself likely won't be stable for months (or even years), and the more THAT gets updated, the more potential 'fixes' will be needed for PT to keep running smoothly on it...

Right now, I'd rather see XP PRO SP3 which would upgrade the RAM-limit issue (though this won't happen). What's next? Get Vista working right, then we'll need the 64-bit version working right... Then people will be on DIGI for that too?

Really, what's the rush? Make music, be happy...