Hi,

I have been contemplating moving to Linux Ubuntu. But there's one thing stopping me. I would not be able to run music production software, FL Studio. There is Wine, but there are too many bugs and plugins are not always supported. And I am not willing to use a Linux native music production software as all my work and files so far are only compatible with FL Studio.

Does anybody have any bright ideas or suggestions?

Thanks

Welcome to LQ! The penguin in the bottom left of your post seems to indicate your running Linux

Might VirtualBox work for you? Then you can have both at the same time on the same computer.

Frankly, if you are committed to using a piece of software that does not run on Linux and are not willing to use native Linux alternatives, I really don't know what to say. Even if FL Studio were to work with Wine (and you say it works poorly) or Crossover, I suspect that you would find the results less than adequate compared to a bare metal installation.

You might consider installing Linux on a machine that is not your production machine or installing it as a virtual machine in a virtualizer such as Virtual Box so you could get a feel for how it works.

Beyond that, I must say, it seems that you have established an insurmountable condition.

Just my thoughts.

Thank you both for your replies.

I rarely remove Win from machines. I prefer to run native, so have all my machines (that have Win) running dual-boot. On those machines where I do actually use Win, I install VBox to run Linux, and also activate WSL. The latter more for interest, and an easy access to the command line. It's not a full linux - runs a M$oft-modified kernel, and even a desktop environment, but doesn't fill my needs.

What about a dual boot setup? Why do we have this rant at all?

If you aren't willing to switch to a Linux replacement for FL Studio, then don't — dual boot and use Windows for your AV work. Otherwise, just stick with Windows.

Have you tried any of the Linux options?
https://www.loopazon.com/blog/5-linu...-to-fl-studio/

In your situation, "FL Studio" is what is known as a "killer app." It is a particular application that you perceive that you need to run in order to pursue "the rest of your [business ...] life," and this app runs only on a particular operating system. Therefore, I believe that it should continue to govern your decision-making – at least with regard to those machines. (The "killer app" is the cart that carries the gold coins ... the operating system is merely the necessary horse. Do not rearrange them.)

If you want to run [Linux ...] on a [non-Linux ...] machine, it is quite easy to do it. What I recommend is "virtual machines," which allow you to run [Linux ...] in a window, without changing the "host" environment at all. Thanks to the hardware features of modern chips, this is actually very efficient.

A particular virtual-machine system stands out to me head-and-shoulders above the rest: VirtualBox. This full-featured system runs on every "host," is backed by the largest software corporation in the world (Oracle), and costs nothing.

With it, you can right now set up a VM, install Linux on it, and thoroughly acquaint yourself with this system without compromising anything about the "bread-and-butter" system that you use to run your "killer app." (The "disk drives" seen by the Linux "guest" are typically represented by ordinary disk-files on your "host," and they are no bigger than they currently need to be.)

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Again with the VirtualBox pushing.

Just stop.

See posting history, and previous complaints.

Don't do it!
You may get addicted, you'll miss out on many of the great things in life like, exercise, eating well, time with family, grandchildren will tell folks they don't actually know grandpa etc.

Ondoho, as I have said before, I am not "pushing" anything. I have no pecuniary interest in anything that I am suggesting. I'm simply describing what I consider is an appropriate solution to the OP's problem, and pointing him specifically to what is very likely - in my professional opinion – to be the most satisfactory way to do it.

Oracle® had plenty of business reasons to develop VirtualBox, and they certainly did not have to give it away.

Of course there are plenty of other virtualization solutions. You can pay $400 for a version of VMWare® that will do the same thing. (Cheaper editions are "hobbled horses.") You can make "setting up a virtual machine" as costly and as difficult as you care for it to be. I suggested, "set up a virtual machine, and use this specific product to do so," because I think that this is the best answer.

Ohdono, instead of complaining again about what I said, why don't you give us your solution to the OP's problem?

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Yeah, you've got some options, as others have noted. When I started with Linux, there were a couple of Windows apps I couldn't do without. At first I dual-booted. Later, I kept Linux and Windows on separate machines. Then one day it hit me that I wasn't booting up the Windows machine anymore, and that was that. I gave that computer away, Linux-only ever since. Good luck!

Have you a link to the software? I can try it under wine. But I hope this isn't one of these "I want to install linux, but it has to be exactly like windows" threads. We get those from time to time, and nutcases go away thinking linux isn't good enough to be windows. While windows is coming around to using the Linus kernel

Dunno ... "while Wine (et al) is very, very impressive," I have more than one type of computer in my office, "and there's a very good reason for that."

Computers, these days, are cheap. As I spin my office chair, I'm looking at two Windows machines, one Linux machine, and one Macintosh. (Several virtual machines on more than one of them to specifically support various clients' environments.) And on any given day I use them all. But if you have only one machine, "virtualization" is your simple and obvious answer for exploring Linux. It will provide you with a fully-authentic experience, entirely without disruption.

Operating systems are "the necessary foundations of the house." When you visit a friend's new custom-built home, you never think about the foundation unless you suddenly find yourself crashing through the floor.

The operating system – whatever it is – is a necessity, but it ought not be the point. "It's the horse – and a very fine horse it is" ... but it is not the cart. It isn't the thing that carries home the things that feed your family.

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I have no problem using MS or other OS'S that are commercial and further use commercial products. It isn't always easy to live and be just linux especially with some of the more technical type programs.

What I would do is keep windows as it is unless you get CrossOver office or wine to run this product 100%.

I'd consider making a full backup of what I have that works to start.

Then maybe a VM or just a full install to a usb drive be it usb ssd or usb flash or a mechanical usb.

VM may be most safe.
Secondary boot to media may be second safe.
Most tricky for new users is the dual boot. They/installer sometimes mess up their windows.

There are still CD and DVD's that can run linux for learning if you have a drive. Ubuntu is a nice one to start with. Think it's up to V21 or such.