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LE BUZZ NOTEBOOK
Nov 10
- NOTEBOOK...YOU LIKE? It's important to me that le Buzz is the way you like it. Now that we've had the le Buzz notebook on here for awhile, let me ask you what you think. Do you like it floating at the top of the day's stories like this? Please e-mail me with your opinion.
- JAVA BUZZ: From the "Buzz About It" board, Paul K. writes,
"Did you all remember about jMax and the potential freak-platform this could offer for all you Buzzers out there? Java for Be could bring this project to life completely, both client and server.
"A new version of jMax is very near and a CVS-tree will be there soon too. Go check out www.ircam.fr/jmax/ and head for the messageboard (contact) for the latest from the ircam-people."
Paul feels a Java JMax implementation may provide the breakthrough necessary to provide a utility similar to "The Tunnel" project I have envisioned for this platform. The Tunnel would be a GUI containing a graphic tunnel into which icons representing various audio effects could be dropped in real time, allowing the user to apply effects to either live audio sources or to the playback of files in real time. Whether Java is fast enough to handle something like that is a question for which I have no answer.
- STUDIOLAB UPDATE: NEW! We're now signing advertisers up for StudioLab, the new "Guide to the Gear for BeOS Media Professionals." The site has a single top banner which may be reserved now on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have a product you feel is attractive to those working in audio, video, or 3d/animation, contact us immediately if you want to nail the position down before anyone else does.
- 70 DOWN, 30 TO GO! I'm really pleased to announce we've hit the 70 Buzzer mark, as we continue toward our goal of 100 by the end of the year. See the sidebar on the right for details.
- NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW! Yesterday's exciting Java announcement has really stirred the Be community, just before Comdex. And with more exciting announcements expected at Comdex, just watch Be's stock climb over the next couple weeks, albetcha!
JAVA 2 101
Nov 10
As Be stock soars on news of Sun's plans to bring Java 2 to the BeOS, it's time to learn a little more about what Java 2 really is!
Here's a page of information which summarizes what it is, what it does, and what's new in 2.
Want to see some interesting Java implementations? Buzzer Ragnar Lillemark provided us with this site containing a number of clever java applets.
Now, what about the other half of the announcement from Sun and Be, regarding "PersonalJava." What's that? From what I've found out thus far, PersonalJava is primarily intended for use in personal computing appliances requiring "embedded technology," such as car phones, microwave ovens, PDAs, Internet appliances, and the like. You can get into much more detail about it at Sun's PersonalJava page. This is apparently the part of Java Be wants for use in some of its own Internet appliances.
SPECULATION: What I'm not so sure about, and perhaps some of the programmers out there can clarify for me, is why Be would need Java for computer appliances. Why wouldn't Be use the Be Operating System? My best guess is that Java is more compact and requires less memory. My second best guess is to keep the playing field level with others like QNX, which is already leveraging PersonalJava in their own line of computer appliances.
A LITTLE MORE ON CREAMWARE
Nov 10
A techie at Creamware wrote back to one of our readers recently, confirming Creamware's intentions to port their products to the BeOS, and adding a little more information:
"We are working on this at the moment. However this will take a little bit
of time since all our efforts now is being turned toward porting the system
over to the MAC. Once this is done by the end of November we will be porting
the platform over to both Unix/Linux and BeOS."
The Creamware product line's focus on highly customizable virtual audio studio components seems like an absolute natural fit with the BeOS, and we can't wait to go all through it at our new StudioLab site.
NOW, WHAT ABOUT SHOCKWAVE?
Nov 10
Buzzer Michelangelo Capraro dropped us a line to remind us that Macromedia was "supposed" to have the Shockwave player source code available at the end of last month, but so far, it's a no-show. Michelangelo suggests that everyone send Macromedia an e-mail about that, asking them to get the code released so it can be ported and a BeOS plug-in made.
When it comes to Shockwave use, Michelangelo lives up to his famous name. Check out his remarkable CreativeEngine web site to see some really well done Shockwave in action.
MONA'S COMING OUT PARTY
Nov 10
Echo has added ship targets and SRP to their page about
the Echo Mona, which is still slated to include BeOS drivers. They report that
Mona will ship in December, and will cost $995 U.S. The Layla24, a new 24 bit version of their famous Layla box, will have the same suggested retail price.
BE JAVA: WHEELS ALREADY TURNING.
Nov 9
News of Java 2 arriving in Beta form on the BeOS before the end of the year sent electricity through the BeOS community yesterday, prompting many hurrahs. Already, BeOS users are planning ways to make use of the technology once it arrives. Here are a few clips from the newsgroups and bulletin boards:
"This morning was one of those 'blah' mornings where you stand around in the
shower wondering what the point of existence is, but now I'm in the mood to
go dance in the streets!"
"This is exactly the news I wanted to hear. A java/javascript enabled
browser and RealPlayer G2 makes BeOS a practical Internet Appliance (just
Shockwave/Flash to go...). More interestingly still, I could consider it as
a thin client platform, that I might be happy to deploy throughout the
enterprise (assuming full JDBC support and the rest of it). I was hoping to
be able to use BeOS (for reasons of cost and maintainability) in a new
healthcare application my organization is developing, and now it looks like
a possible contender... Particularly when the new, zippy network stack is
in place."
"This is a huge day for BeOS! A Sun JVM is probably the most needed addition
to the BeOS. Their name will just serve to give validity to the BeOS platform.
However, I don't think that the BeKaffe people should be discouraged. Their
work is not going unnoticed and should continue."
"Excellent! Now to find the beta list...
This means my game will be released on BeOS as well now, which can't be
bad, eh?"
"I'll be able to do all of my University coding in Be!"
The one lamentation we saw multiple posts about was over the BeKaffe efforts to port Java to Be, which are rendered less significant by the announcement, though a number of posters encouraged BeKaffe to continue with their project.
AD1618 DRIVER NOW SUPPORTS EXTERNAL MIDI
Nov 9
An update to a driver for the AD1816 sound card chipset gives Buzzers better support for a number of cards and built-in, motherboard-mounted sound systems. Jens Winkler has just released version 1.1 at BeBits, which is useful on the following cards:
- Terratec Base 1 / Base 64
- HP Kayak
- Acer FX-3D
- SY-1816
- Highscreen Sound-Boostar 16 & 32 Wave 3D
- AVM Apex Pro card
- Aztech/Newcom SC-16 3D and HP Pavilion 8175 cards
- AOPen FX-3D Plus / Pro Radio
Jens told us there's some external MIDI support available through this latest edition of the driver.
"Although the chip has OPL3 support it is not supported by the new
driver. Midi support is basically done by the MPU401 driver supplied
with BeOS 4.5 and up (similar to the method used in the sb16 and
sonic_vibes drivers). That means you have midi support for the external
midi port and for a Wavetable connected to the soundcard. The AD1816
doesn't include a wavetable, but a few cards (fi. Terratec Base64) have
one directly built onto the board."
FISHING FOR SOUND
Nov 9
With sound files all over your computer, how can you track 'em all down in one fell swoop, and play them, all from the same application? That's what Softjee's "Audio Browser" does for you.
Just out of Beta and ready for your access as freeware version 1.0, you can grab it at BeBits.
BEOS ON JAVA!
Nov 8
The Java 2 platform and PersonalJava technology are currently being ported to BeOS. According to a press statement released jointly by Be, Inc. and Sun Microsystems, Beta versions of the software are expected to be available before the end of the year. Shipping versions are scheduled to be available in the first quarter of 2000.
"Our strategic work with Sun is an important step for Be because it significantly increases the applications available to our users," said Jean-Louis Gassée, chairman and chief executive officer of Be, Inc. "In addition, PCs, handheld devices and single- or multi-purpose intelligent appliances will also benefit by being able to better manage highly interactive and content-rich applications. Our support for the Java platform will allow application developers to better capitalize on the multimedia strengths of the BeOS and create products which utilize these demanding media types and emerging hardware platforms."
"Java technology's platform independence makes it an attractive and highly leveragable environment for any application developer," commented Jon Kannegaard, general manager and vice president, Software Products and Platforms, Sun Microsystems. "This collaboration is important because it allows Java technology-based applications to run on BeOS, a technology known for its ability to support video, audio and other high-bandwidth content. The combination of Java technology on BeOS could support a new wave of highly interactive applications and could provide a powerful marketshare ally for virtually every application developer."
OUR TAKE: Geez, this is really exciting. One by one, the objections to the BeOS are melting away. Real Audio support, Java support (and presumably both of them functioning properly in Be's "NetPositive" web browser), multinode ability to natively support multi-channel audio (very soon), a bevy of quality production programs nearing delivery. Ahh, it's good to be alive.
STEINBERG'S HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: BEOS VST!
Nov 9
A group of musicians who are anxious to use the BeOS but doubtful Steinberg's nearly released Nuendo program will meet their needs is polling the BeOS community so they can provide a convincing argument for a BeOS port of CuBase VST.
While the survey results page is in French only, the questions are posed in both French and English. By the look of things, of over 100 respondents so far, there's large support for a BeOS version of Cubase. If you have an opinion on the subject, submit it!
NEW APLAYER HAS MUSICIAN'S TOOLS
Nov 8
MODs, those amazing little sound files that became so popular on the Amiga, are all-the-more accessible to Intel PC Buzzers with the release of APlayer 3.5.0 from Thomas Neumann. The latest version lets musicians dissect MOD files to examine the individual instrument samples they use, and even download those samples for keyboard input and editing, through a new feature called "Info Agent.".
Also included in this fairly substantial update are a Beta version of the OctaMED player, which supports MODs in the formats MMD0 to MMD3.
A new developer's kit for Aplayer is also available from Polycode's web site.
PLANNING AIN'T PROMISING
Nov 8
Creamware, makers of some highly sophisticated digital audio products, confirm their plans to produce products for the BeOS platform, but the wording of their confirmation to us last week makes their intentions sound a little tentative.
"Thank you for your mail. We are currently PLANNING to release BeOS versions
of the following products within the next year:
- Pulsar - DSP Powered Music Production Environment
- SCOPE - DSP Platform
- all devices which are and will be available on the Pulsar/SCOPE platform
(e.g. STS-4000 Sampler, SPL Transient Designer)
"Please note that this is not an announcement. This is simply what CreamWare
is planning at the moment."
The exciting new news to come out of this is that, in addition to Pulsar and Scope, some supporting actors in the Creamware product line may also make it to the BeOS. You can check out the entire line at the Creamware web site.
FERRETING OUT MP3'S
Nov 8
For the command line devotees out there, a program called "AutoPlay" makes MP3 searches simpler by letting you hunt down tracks using a variety of criteria.
AutoPlay is a script which acts as a commandline frontend to attribute based queries on your MP3 titles. It creates [and instantly plays] a playlist composed of requested
audio files. Criteria include author, album, title, year, comment. It can also create a global Playlist. Wneh run without parameters, AutoPlay runs a GUI query on all playlists found. The author, Roman Filippov, says the program is customizable, with lots of options.
OUR TAKE: If geeks want to write for geeks, that's great. More power to 'em. But if they want serious numbers of people to use their stuff, they'll do better if they put a full GUI front end on it, and make it launchable from an icon. I hate to see so much work devoted to such good ideas for such a limited audience.
When I arrived on the Be platform, I noticed a decided "geek orientation" to its culture, literature, and program offerings, all of which made it seem a little closed and underdeveloped. Not to make too much of this analogy, but you might say I expected to see a progressive, developing city and instead, when I arrived, I found a lumber camp. Key among the issues that caught my eye was the command line orientation to much of what was offered. Much of the "lumber camp mentality" has faded in the past year, ut still, there's a lingering sense that "non-geeks need not apply." That limits growth on this platform.
That's not to say there isn't an audience for command line based programs. But any program that is a hit on the command line will be a much, much bigger hit with a GUI interface that requires no command line intervention, simply because far more people will understand how to use it.
NEW MUSIC CONTEST
Nov 8
Hitsquad.com is giving away US$10,000 in prizes in their new
Computer Music Competition and one entrant is going to be set up with all the equipment
they need to record that hit song.
You've got until the end of November to get in the running to win a
musicians' prize package of over $5,000 which includes an Audio Master
digital audio workstation, Steinberg Cubase VST/24, ReBirth, a Boss studio
effects processor, Groovemaker, T-racks mastering software and a swag of
sheet music.
It's all Windows stuff, but it's free...and you can always hawk it for BeOS software when the BeOS versions get here!
AS FOR OUR OWN MUSIC CONTEST: We're still waiting to hear back from one of the judges. I'm not stalling, really! As soon as we get his results, we'll announce the winners of the "3dsound Contest."
Looking for an older story?
It has passed beyond, into the Great Archive.
Go there, my son.
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SEE THE PREVIEW!
NOW PLAYING!
ADVANTAGE UPDATE!
Y2K GOAL:
100 BUZZERS!
Already over 70 Buzzers and their friends have signed up with AllAdvantage through le Buzz, which is extremely gratifying. Our goal: 100 Buzzers before the end of the year! If you want to get paid 50 cents per hour you cruise the web, and a dime for each hour your friends cruise the web, take a moment now to read my 10 Ten Reasons for signing up.
IF YOU'RE ALREADY SIGNED UP: The key is to be SURE to use the full 25 hours you're allowed each month! Not only does that assure you of every cent you have coming, but it gives you full credit for every friend who uses 25 hours a month.
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Just type "lebuzz" into any browser in the world, and you'll be taken right here!
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Reserve your space now!
It's the Web's Most Complete Listing of BeOS Audio Products...
Product Buzz!
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