Open source old stuff...

If Native instruments aren't going to create new drivers for old hardware such as Guitar Rig kontrol 2, NI could at least have the decency to open source the driver source code so others can have a go at it. This will benefit the NI's reputation being on their users side not making anyone left out whilst leaving the headache of keeping old hardware running on newer OS's to the masses; whomever might be brave enough to give it a try.

 

Nobody is going to open source their IP. AVID is not going to do that. Apple is not going to do that. Brainworx is not going to do that. Tascam not going to do that. Nothing to do with bravery. Old 32 bit gear won't be updated to 64 bit in most cases. For the very tiny number of people who don't want to keep their old hardware and old PC/OS working together, updating to modern gear makes more sense to everyone involved. Not being mean, just pie in the sky wishing that won't happen. Better to spend your time making music than pining for ancient gear that is not going to work with modern tech.

 

In addition, third-party library support for hardware ICs used in the equipment may not be available from the manufacturer due to not available in 64-bit, end-of-life, close-source, or a combination of these reasons.

 

Only the ignorant believes one will be able to keep their IP secret by not revealing how their products are put together. Open Source is not equal to making it GPL, it only exposes the code/APIs, pin-outs etc used in a product where the owner of the IP can decide what license will be provided with it.

Microsoft has for ages had quite a bit of their code open source, in the aspect of you as a developer being able to get hold of it. This does not by any means mean you do have the right to reuse the code in any way unless you live up to whatever license attached to it. The very idea with having the IP rights is to be able to sue whomever is putting the slightest bit of code into any other commercial product, which is not necessarily the same as a community providing drivers for existing users, or creating other cool complementary stuff to use with NI's current software.

Maybe some still live in this old distorted world view where solutions to all problems lay in putting your old hardware on land fills and go buy the latest and best products for your needs. I on the other hand do believe it is a rather stupid idea to throw away perfectly working hardware just because newer products have arrived on the market. In my opinion there is no conflict in keeping track with the latest hardware and software whilst still making use of older equipment should one find some great use for it.

I therefore see it as all companies obligation to make sure their products can be used as long as possible, not by having the manufacturer do all the hard work keeping things compatible with the moving world, but instead opening up for other hackers to make use of discontinued products by disclosing its innards. Let whomever who wants to put their spare time into creating something cool out of it, be able to do so.

When it comes to the guitar kontrol rig, its a sound card and some buttons, I am pretty confident providing some info on it will not make the end of Native Instruments as we know it...

 

Grow up. Adding you to ignore list.

 

I would expect no less from you

...even though my answer was not directed to you as a person, but an answer to the ideas/thoughts of open source old stuff to make hackers who want to keep things running be able to do so.

 

So it might be, but by simply disclosing what hardware ICs used might give whomever who wants to do something the chance to figure things out. There are many ways one can get hold of information regarding hardware chips. In the end manufacturers want(ed) to make as many as possible to use their stuff, hence with some perseverance one usually finds it in the end ;-)

 

It’s a topic that arises time to time (and some initiatives are working on some areas) but NI position isn’t clear (for good or bad) even the usual answer is corporative.
Maybe you want to check Rebellion project and find if it’s useful to your goals…?

 

It's an unfortunate part of life we just all have to accept, at some point our digital toys will just stop working. This is especially true in the macOS eco system where lifetime seems to have gone from the 10 year cycle to 5 years (and in some cases 2-3 years).

I have an almost mint Presonus Firebox which was my first audio interface (costing me about $600aud at the time back in mid 2000) and I loved it. Still in original box I used it for 15 years but alas, Windows 10 put an end to that since Presonus refused to update drivers for the thing and tho I did find a hacked driver, It suffered constant performance issues and so I was forced to invest in a new interface anyway which worked out better as I could update to some features I wanted.

Point is, this is just how it works in this world and as a hardcore maker and DIYer of things I hate to see perfectly working widgets be tossed just because they are old (hence why it's on a shelf in a box still). Gone are the days of fixing old VCRs and TVs for fun, we really just "rent" a device for 10 years before being forced to upgrade it and in many cases a company builds on the previous product so can't really open source their work, not for fear of users but fear of competition stealing their IP and making cheap knockoffs etc.

 

Well my mac mini is late12 so this year will get that 10 years old record and it runs Catalina…

 

Yep, and right on cue that is where it will stay as you cannot update it any longer. The issue is not that it won't last 10 years, of course it will. The issues always been around compatibility over time and that some software you had from 10 years ago, unless updated and maintained over those 10 years by the dev may not run at all anymore. Sometimes you are forced to upgrade your software version just to keep working.

For instance, Ableton Live 9 will not run on macOS 10.15, it can only run between 10.7 and 10.13 so if you are a hobbyist happy with their copy of Live 9, no need for the newer features you MUST not update your system (and must also know this) or if you do, suddenly you now find you need to purchase a Live 11 upgrade because you can't simply roll back unless you have a backup of your whole OS. Same flip of the coin if you cannot update to at least macOS 10.13 then you are unable to install the latest Live version and now need a whole new computer even if technically it would handle what you need it for.

Developers love this side of macOS as it forces money out of users pockets like this. With Windows it is still possible to run Ableton Live 1.0 if you really wanted. This is all I am saying that there are differences in how macOS manages things Vs Windows. macOS is all about pushing forward with innovation but at the cost of users and developers having to constantly keep pace, Windows is more about maintaining compatibility and having wider choice in decisions like this but at the cost of having to invest a bit more time managing things efficiently.

 

My mac mini late12 works perfectly now like 4 years ago when I bought it (it’s maxxed with ssd and full ram) and I thought about use it as main cpu for standalone Traktor the day it got “discontinnued” (let’s say as part of Asilicon transition ergo Intel deprecation)… but meanwhile I got what I need from traktor by DjPlayer over a cheap iPhone (to put numbers in context, the mac cost me 400€ second hand and the iPhone 5s or SE first gen cost me around 100€ each one on their years aka never new. I writting from another SE first gen that I use just for phone duties)
That means… replacement from Apple has been mobile platform until they get mobile chips into macs themselves.

I don’t need a new Traktor compatible with my mac intel, I need a Traktor working on my iPhone. Obviously I see my iPhones as embed devices and these have their own update/obsolescence issues too.
I has been using iPad/iPhones from iPad 3gen (original retina) and iPhone 4s (first device to run apps like loopy afaik) and these (even updated to their max supported OS) can work with some apps (even I use them as one app by device so if I need 4 apps then 4 devices)

That option isn’t for everyone and I look more and more into standalones as time goes but, even so, I mix some of these approaches (like turntables with embed hardware or pad controllers with embed hardware and so on).
Now old iPhones are cheaper than new raspis due chip shortage…

I tried to do similar with old windows machines and I end looking for late12 mac minis since for me these are the most reliable “desktop” devices suitable for my purposes (IMHO, not saying is a fact suitable for everyone)

In profitability terms all my devices had been 100% profitable to me and I avoid to use Microsoft as much as I can…
Retrocompatibility isn’t a must for me and I could my job (when I was djing at bars before covid) with just Djay Pro on iPad and compatible controller (the Phillips M1X to be exact). Since these gigs ended into “Could you build a spotify playlist for the week?” I gone “never more doing these gigs”. Later come covid and streaming djs explosion… now I look into other approaches and spleeter stems/video karaoke are my focus. None of these available on Traktor and I’m not going to carry the mac if I could do the job with an iPhone.

So profitability again… I can get more from a 100€ device than a 400€ device so in risk terms I can lose 4 iPhone (let’s say 3 due cck and chargers) and upgrade rounds (going some generations behind) are cheap than desktop/laptop counterparts. I’m considering new M1 but it will probably end at studio replacing the mini… so I’m looking into standalone solutions (cdjs, arrangers, karaoke players, etc) meanwhile I test some iPhone apps for these purposes and their stability, etc…