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This 10 minute Podcast outlines my experience as a jazz musician using Linux.
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History . . .<br/>
My start in 1982 with a BBC Micro Computer.
On using a 1977 business machine by Real Time Computer Systems, Crewe, UK.
Gary Kildall's CP/M operating system with four, linked, 7 floppy disk drives.
Moving to the PC about 1988 and becoming a Microsoft operating system user.
Using the PC for educational material and for musical arrangements.
The main pieces of software used for the music  Sibelius and Band-In-A-Box.
Some web designing using Macromedia Dreamweaver.
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Towards Linux . . .<br/>
Awareness of Linux about 2000  first 'proper' distro  SuSE; (six CDs to install!)
Poor press for Linux in the past  and not much better now.
Modern distros offer close to the full solution for the average user.
Retailers still telling customers that Linux is difficult and should be avoided.
My trials of most of the available distros and awareness of Wine as a solution to using Windows-based software.
Some limited success with early copies of Sibelius, Band-In-A-Box and Dreamweaver.
Discovery of Ubuntu 6.06 and the installation on my Desktops and Laptops.
Maintainance of a Laptop as a dual-boot machine with Windows XP.
Linux used for all my work; only very rarely using the Windows partition.
Brief trial of Virtualbox  initially, with not too much success.
Currently, Ubuntu 10.10 on all machines and the 'ditching' the dual-boot.
Look at Virtualbox again, thanks to the recent Hacker Public Radio Podcast by arfab (hpr-0618) on installing XP in Virtualbox. (Thanks arfab.)
Virtualbox on all my machines now running my 'essential' Windows software.
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Practicing . . .<br/>
Need for regular practise using a variety of techniques (improvisation, scales, etc,).
Good use of Band-In-A-Box as a practice aid.
Most backing tracks in the form of a simple piano, bass and drums rhythm section.
Good aid to meet the needs of students at various stages of ability.
Backing tracks tailored to support each musical instrument in a musical ensemble.
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Where Are We Now . . .<br/>
Awareness of current developments in support of the musical requirement.
Still can't say to my colleagues - Yes, Linux is now the complete solution.
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Website and blog at '<A HREF="https://www.tonydenton.com">www.tonydenton.com</A>'  on Twitter as 'tonydenton'  Identica name is 'Bariman' and occasionally on IRC, also as 'Bariman.'
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