Resolve 15 and Linux

Hi,

I'm a first time Resolve 15 user and a Linux integrator (for the last 25 years or so...), and I would like write few words to Blackmagic regarding the Linux version.

I fully understand that the only official support is for CentOS, and as a RHEL/CentOS user, I really appreciate that. However, within the next few months, RHEL 8 beta will start rolling, and anyone who would try to use Resolve 15, will get an immediate segfault (no, ldd doesn't show anything missing), that's why Red Hat is releasing Fedora - to test the upcoming changes, and the differences between RHEL-7.x and 8 are HUGE.

Right now, installing RHEL-7/CentOS 7 on a workstation limits the user quite a lot. No screen hotplug with either Thunderbolt or USB-C, no good SSD caching (dm-cache only appeared at Fedora 27), no Thunderbolt support (unless you reboot each time you plug/unplug), and most of the new software packages won't run and sometimes won't even compile, so IMHO BM *should* run some tests to make sure Resolve 15 runs under the latest Fedora. That way you'll save yourselves months of work (to have compatibility both with RHEL-7 and the upcoming RHEL-8).

Regarding the install - Since you officially only support RHEL/CentOS, I think it would be a good idea to move the installer to only add a repo and download the rest using the standard YUM (and soon: DNF) commands. That way if there are any dependencies, the YUM/DNF tool will take care of that. Also, the user will get notification when there's a new update for Resolve 15.

Standards: I'm afraid that the installer is completely avoids the LSB (Linux Standard Base), specifically with the following issues:

* You should NOT create directories with 777 permissions. You can create a group and add the user/s to that group. 777 is a serious security issue.
* Please don't add files to /root/Desktop. Standard users have a /home directory, so you could add a simple loop to add to /home/$USER/Desktop - a shortcut.

I hope that these remarks will not offend anyone and if BM needs to some assistance with the installer or Linux related standards, I'll be happy to assist.

Thanks

i'm coming from a similar technical background resp. long term experience as linux system operator and integrator and honestly agree with most of your critics. but in one important aspect i do not share your point of view: better support for only one linux distribution -- no matter, which one -- IMHO shouldn't be seen as a sufficient solution.

sure - i know the recommendations published by https://www.vfxplatform.com/ are also always a little bit biased towards a few well known enterprise solutions, but if you look a little bit closer, you'll see, that exactly those software manufactures, which established this kind of linux usage advises for the film industry, are in many cases much more tolerant and their products are in fact compatible to much wider share of recent linux distributions.

just take the foundrys nuke as a real world example -- a video processing software of similar complexity as resolve, which is also freely available in a non-commercial edition on all operating systems. sure, this product also recommends only one particular family of linux distributions as "officially supported" installation base, but in fact it will work out of the box without any flaw on debian/ubuntu/mint systems as well! it's also worth mentioning, that its linux installer is so much more user friendly -- just as comfortable as on windows and mac -- as resolve users can only dream about. and this particular installer even works in checkinstall jails, which will produce nice distribution specific packages on the fly resp. enable reliable uninstall capabilities on many different linux flavors. yes -- that's indeed the kind of sufficient/exemplary linux support, which i would see as adequate for professional software delivery on this platform, if they are not simply available in the distribution specific repositories.

but regarding many other points -- especially FHS violations and a more suitable unix multiuser compatible directory layout -- i simply have to agree with your well justified remarks.

Greetings, @MartinSchitter and @hetzbh -- It's evident you two should be among the most appreciated class of DaVinci Resolve Linux enduser and Forum contributors whose respectful, freely offered advice and many years of LINUX experience render your insights exceedingly beneficial for Blackmagic Design development team -- as well as the Resolve Linux community of users in particular.

Personally, having zero experience with any Linux flavors has me in near "fear and trepidation".

(Owning and tinkering within the command-line interface of AmigaOS machines during the 1990s is the closest I've ever come to managing such tasks as will be required for installation, setup and maintaining whichever Linux variant I dare to install for Resolve 15).

Moreover, I get the sense that Blackmagic Design might be a bit "behind the curve" in leveraging the best methods and practices in developing and tweaking the setup and operational code for Resolve LINUX (as alluded to in your exceedingly well-developed appeal for improvement, in keeping with the "standard", for better security, fewer operational mishaps and enhanced user experience.

I honestly wish to install (the most trouble-free, and feature-rich iteration of LINUX OS and Resolve 15 right now, but honestly lack confidence that BMD is in relentless pursuit of excellence in its planning and implementation for RHEL/CentOS and your post served to confirm my sense of reservation about leaving this hellish Microsoft Windows 8.1 and 10 vortex in favor of Resolve on RHEL or CentOS (just yet).

If you or anyone have advice for cautious LINUX-wannabe Resolve Editors & Fairlight Digital Sound & Music Recordists & Editing, Mixing and Mastering enthusiasts like myself -- (optionally with supplied links for installation and setup) for whichever LINUX flavor you choose, please -- anyone give a brother a hand here, and I'll be tremendously grateful.
[Re]Pete

Being configured for Resolve 15, with
• 1 EVGA GTX 1070i FTW 8GB GPU w/supplemental power socket (I'm unsure why two 8-pin power ports are required)
• 1 EVGA GTX 1070i 8GB GPU
• EVGA 1000+ 1KW power supply
• iBuyPower TRACE 941 mid-tower machine w/250GB NVMe RAM on the 16-lane PCI buss | 16GB DDR4 2266 RAM |7200 RPM 1TB HDD | Will remove the puny 600W Highpower(tm) PSU and install the above referenced, 1000W PSU instead)

In summary, I wish so passionately to create a Linux host PC for Resolve 15 on this machine.

Any help/guidance/ideas on coolest/feature-rich/Fairlight-friendly favorite Linux flavor and 3rd-party dtivers packages, tools, utilities, etc. -- and specifically where best to move this request will be hugely appreciated.
Cheers.
-Pete

I'm no Linux expert, but I've fiddled around with trying to install Resolve 14 on a vanilla upstream build of CentOS. When I inevitably ran into some issues and tried to contact BMD, I found that it's very difficult to get them to support or even acknowledge anything other than their own custom CentOS ISO. They always first ask if you're running the build from that custom ISO. I don't fault them for it--it's just something to be aware of if you dive into the Linux side of things.

Because of this, I really wouldn't try to run Resolve on any kind of Linux other than their official ISO with their specific recommended hardware. If you're not on the BMD build, you can get it to work, but you're very much on your own if you run into any issues.

That's sound advice, there, Seth, and precisely what I had expected of BMD -- with no moral judgment against them at all.
[Re]Pete

ResolveStudio 14.3...014 | MiniMonitor | DTV 10.9.7 | Win8.1 x64 | ROG G751JL, 2.8GHz Intel i7HQ, 24GB DDR4, 1TB HD, 500GB EVO 850, 2GB GTX965M | Mackie MCU Pro | Softube Console 1 Mkii | Shuttle Pro 2 | more...