Linux support for Luminar
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Since Windows support was added relatively recently to Luminar, I was wondering whether Linux support would be added any time soon.
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Not a good idea for a small company:
For a Mac company to port to windows is a good idea: It multiplies their market by a factor of 6 or 7 (81% vs 13%), although given the relative prominence of macs in the creative community, probably a smaller factor than that. 4? 5? times the market?
For a mac or windows linux desktops are a tiny market -- about 1.6% (Linux is used in large numbers for servers, but you have to be pretty geeky to use is as a desktop. I used it for decades as a system administrator as, at the time it was the only way I could easily have a terminal screen on 30 different servers.)
So why would *anyone* do it?
Linux is a good environment for prototyping. The tools are world class, and largely free. Linux is different enough that it forces developers to separate their software from the operating system. This makes later maintenance much easier -- the main codebase is OS independent. There is a thin layer that deals with the OS. Change OS's change thin layer. OS upgrade? Change thin layer.(As a counter example creative types learned to not do a Mac OS X major upgrade for 6 months to a year after Apple released it: Adobe Creative Suite apps would break. Once? Learning. But time after time?...)
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With the new requirement of OpenGL 3.3 and most of all current drivers they have reduced the Windows crows by a factor of 10 - because OpenGL is notoriously hard to maintain on Windows. Driver qulity is notoriously iffy and often you will get yout OpenGL support broken by system updates (which under Windows 10 will push newer but not necessarily better drivers)... So there will be big problems if Skylum doesn’t stop that development direction then the Windows version is a dead end which cost them a lot of money! If they instead would have gone for GDI+ with a little bit of DirectX then they would have had a chance because for that the support is magnitudes better than fo OpenGl!
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In all fairness, MAC OSX is a port of Linux and so the step towards Linux would not be that great.
I have always used Windows for desktop and Linux for servers however with the support for Window 7 time limited and Windows 10 being so intrusive, I am looking to move to a Linux desktop this year, almost certainly in the next 6 months.
Linux desktops are very stable and can match the look of Windows well. They are far more efficient than Windows with both memory and CPU management. You can run VM's under Linux but there are limitations and of course performance hits with running VM's unless carefully setup using the "better" virtualisation systems out there.
I for one would welcome the team working with the community to get a Linux version deployed. I also have other users (work mates) who also like Linux and have Luminar 3 and so could help with the tests...
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Erm, OSX is actually a Unix like operating system. Not a port of Linux. It does borrow from BSD. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS
So since Linux is a Unix like OS as well, there should be some overlap. But I'm not sure it would be a simple job to port any of Skylum's tools to Linux.
That said, I wonder if Skylum could just make a Linux version that also works on Windows 10 if you have Windows Subsystem for Linux installed? Heh.
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Hi David,
I want to get away from the Windows eco system. It is very intrusive and likes to report more data about me back to MS that I really want... I really do not like W10 and will not have it in the house having tried it on several systems. W7 is OK but is now reporting back to Redmond far too much.
I value my privacy...
Still I wait in hope.
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I think we're all going the wrong way.
The Linux market is currently very small. There's no doubt about that.
But how many people have Windows or Mac systems wanting to switch to Linux?
And if there are so many, why don't they (we) change?
Because of the lack of programs like Luminar 3, for example.
So you only have to think that the first commercial quality programs that land in the Linux world will ensure a privileged position for the future.
The problem is that this step is costly and would take a long time to see favorable economic results, but I don't think it's a matter of many years either. In less than a year, Windows 7 support is over, and this is a very important moment.A version that worked without problems in Wine would be a good first step.
In reality, perhaps you would only need a good script to solve the installation problems. Maybe. -
Jose - Well said. I have now moved both my wife and I to Linux Mint. We are not going back. I will try to install Luminar3 under Wine however I do need to know the pre-requesites first. What other packages are needed for install? Almost certainly .net but which version or versions. Anything else?
I would much prefer to install natively but at a push I will try the Wine route. Windows in our house is dead...
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I think Skylum and Luminar has enough issues without bringing Linux to the mix. In any event how long have these debates been going on. Linux has been THE desktop os is waiting seemingly forever and nothing changes. And nor will it in the foreseeable future. Taking the Linux route is a personal choice but if you move to open source you will have to rely on open source to provide the software. I moved across once but came back to Mac for this reason.
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I'm switching to Linux and I've already bought several programs on Linux.
If a version of Capture One for Linux were released tomorrow, even at a cost of $300, I would buy it without hesitation.
These debates in my humble opinion are useful for businesses. Information to know what many users or potential users think.
Just feedback.What they do with this information is another matter.
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If Luminar was designed as a thin-client there wouldn't be much need for this discussion. I find the operating environment for Luminar and Skylum's other software products very limiting and that is the reason I won't be purchasing any of their other software.
Until Skylum decides to make their products compatible across a wider base of operating systems, I will stick with digiKam, Rawtherapee and Gimp.
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But C1 won't release tomorrow, nor will Adobe and nor will Skylum. That is the fact of it and no debates on here will make any difference. Business will carry out its own research and the numbers re Linux just do not stack up. The dynamics of Linux is probably also a problem - too many variants/distros and a development path that is hard to track as a result.
Robert that is your prerogative and if you are happy with Gimp etc that is fine. Go for it. Gimp and Digikam (along with others) were instrumental is sending me back to the mainstream and I doubt I will ever go back to Linux. Have to admit Darktable is a great project though. -
I agree, too many variants, too many distros, but I have bought native Linux software that works well with all of them.
The important thing for me right now is that companies like Skylum know that there are many Linux users who are willing to pay for quality software.
And that there are also many more users who want to switch to Linux than they imagine.
And that the first companies to disembark in this universe will have advantageous positions, as I said before.
I don't ask for miracles. I imagine that for Skylum to face something like this is probably impossible right now. That's why I only ask them to consider the possibility even if it's for a few years from now.
One thing that will be within their reach is for some engineer to study the possibility of making some script so that their program (without changes) works in Wine. -
Ask away, although this is not the place for it really. Nobody will listen, like nobody has ever really listened. The question has been asked over at Affinity as well, with the same response. My advice is run the os you want but learn to live with the restrictions on software choice that might bring. You cannot necessarily have it both ways.
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I've been a Linux user for several years. My last Windows OS was Win 2000 yeah its been that long!
I'd love to see this ported over to Linux. But now I use Darktable, (Also available for Windows), GIMP and an older app called LightZone. There's stuff available for Linux users, and many of us would pay for Luminar if it was available.
Checkbook's open...........
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