14 DAY TRIAL // JackLab Audio Distribution (JAD) version 1.0 was released on September 16th after a development period of over eight months.
JackLab Audio 1.0 is a distribution based on OpenSuSE 10.2, but independent from it, with a kernel customized for rapid audio processing with the audio server JACK. It uses by default the Enlightenment D17 window manager, but if offers the possibility to change to the full KDE 3.5.7. The user can add or update software by using the Smart package manager and YasT for the system administration.
JAD 1.0 objective is to ease the work as much as possible for musicians and multimedia content authors, also offering complete compatibility with the OpenSUSE 10.2 distribution. A great advantage over other Linux audio distributions is the fact that JAD 1.0 offers complete support for ASIO. Also, the user has the ability to use Windows VST programs like Reaper or EnergyXT2 thanks to WINE.
JOST, a small modular host included in JAD 1.0, supports LADSPA, the native LinuxAudioDeveloper plugin format, the distribution containing more than 300 LADSPA plugins and some native Linux VST plugins.
After the installation, JAD will be fully functional for operations like multi-track recording with "Ardour", MIDI sequencing with "Rosegarden", real time audio synthesis using "ZynAddSubFX", graphics manipulation with programs like "The GIMP" or "Inkscape", and much more, offering from the start a complete multimedia studio for the user.
JAD was started by Michael Bohle, a musician and media producer, with the goal to improve and promote the development of professional audio under Linux, with a team of free software developers and musicians joining in after a short time.
JackLab e.V. will be JAD's promotion association, sponsoring the activities for the JackLab community by organizing workshops, holding developer conferences and funding the creation of future audio projects that sound promising.
You can download JAD 1.0 right now from Softpedia.