Nord User Forum

analogika wrote:Given that development for macOS and iOS simultaneously is being made the default by Apple — especially once their Mac line moves from Intel to ARM processors over the next two years — I think it's a given that there will be an iOS version of the main Nord apps eventually.

Yes, the increasing convergence from Apple's side bodes well. Also the fact that iOS 13 finally supported external hard drives. Apple has had a lot of restrictions on third party apps being able to write data to external USB devices, a facility that would be required for something like the ability for a Nord app to send samples to a Nord keyboard. In general, they have not permitted such apps in the past.

Oh yes it is a matter of manpower. Not everybody can write software to a commercial standard. How much is "just an extra programmer" for a company of that size?
It might be that until it does not influence the sales, there is no incentive to increase the costs and further hassle (it is not just writing it once, but maintain it longer term as well).

Have you considered that developing such software may demand some kind of colaboration with other big companies and, as a result, giving them access to technologies owned by clavia all those years? That was my point. I'm not an expert in such things, just speculating.

alex78 wrote:

Keep in mind, though, that Clavia is a tiny company and doesn't have a lot of manpower (something like 35 people vs. 15,000 for Yamaha).

Yes indeed, but is it realy a matter of manpower to make their software compatible with other OS? I guess that with just an extra programmer the job could be done. It seems like a matter of agreements between companies IMO.

There is no need for agreements between companies - but surely it will require manpower and possibly specific skills to write and maintain the software. Some of it may be legacy code that cannot easily be ported, and thus is a larger task to handle. And maybe those resources could be used elsewhere too, so those decisions are never easy to commit to

Sent from my phone in brevity

alex78 wrote:Have you considered that developing such software may demand some kind of colaboration with other big companies and, as a result, giving them access to technologies owned by clavia all those years? That was my point. I'm not an expert in such things, just speculating.

Hi, maybe it could be that, too. I am just saying that the investment is not zero, and may be too high if it makes no difference to sales.
You bought your Nord without ipad support, no? So while I understand that it is desirable, it did not affect your purchase.
I also wish they supported linux, but I bought a Nord anyway.

alex78 wrote:

Oh yes it is a matter of manpower. Not everybody can write software to a commercial standard. How much is "just an extra programmer" for a company of that size?
It might be that until it does not influence the sales, there is no incentive to increase the costs and further hassle (it is not just writing it once, but maintain it longer term as well).

Have you considered that developing such software may demand some kind of colaboration with other big companies and, as a result, giving them access to technologies owned by clavia all those years? That was my point. I'm not an expert in such things, just speculating.

No, writing software for iOS does not require a developer to share corporate secrets or source code with anyone.

It is merely yet a third fully distinct software and hardware platform that must be individually developed, designed, tested and maintained for.

I’m not sure how streamlined the process of developing for ARM Macs and iOS simultaneously has been made, so I cannot speak to the effort necessary to release and maintain separate Mac and iOS versions in the future, but since the Mac will be able to natively run iOS software (as a die-hard Mac guy, I see impending doom for the quality of Mac software here, much like the influx of Windows developers destroyed much of what made the Mac, the Mac), it’s easy to imagine Clavia eventually just building an iOS version and distributing that for the Mac as well with little or no changes.

macOS is platform independent and has been since before apple switched to intel processors more than a decade ago. IOS and MacOS are the exact same core code base. it doesn’t care if it’s an arm processor or an intel processor, etc. it’s just a compile switch. there are some restrictions on interface libraries because IOS uses touch only interface guidelines, but if you can develop macOS code it’s a pretty easy switch to IOS.

cgrafx wrote:macOS is platform independent and has been since before apple switched to intel processors more than a decade ago. IOS and MacOS are the exact same core code base. it doesn’t care if it’s an arm processor or an intel processor, etc. it’s just a compile switch. there are some restrictions on interface libraries because IOS uses touch only interface guidelines, but if you can develop macOS code it’s a pretty easy switch to IOS.

IANAD, but I know that it's *never* that simple.

For one, the interface needs to be completely redesigned (and ideally, rethought from the ground up) for touch. This is a LOT of work, especially for a company whose reputation is built in large part upon the usability of their hardware.
With Big Sur, this will be made easier because the Mac will just run iOS apps, but in reality, the same thing applies — operating apps conceptualised for touch-screen interfaces with a mouse and pointer sucks (which is why I'm worried about the future of Mac software quality).

For another, iOS works from a number of completely different assumptions about sandboxing, access to various directories on the disk etc. It's already pretty maddening that the Nord apps refuse to work with any files (samples, bundles, programs) located outside the user's home directory, and there's bound to be a whole slew of issues when switching between the platforms.

Third, macOS being hardware-agnostic does not mean that all software that runs on it will be, as well. Theoretically, sure. But I was there for the Intel transition (and, in fact, for the PowerPC transition back in 1994-ish). "Theory" is such a wonderful thing.

Remember that when Apple's hype machine calls a process "trivial", it will probably just mean "pretty trivial compared to what you're used to dealing with", but that doesn't mean it's actually that simple, or at the least, not just massively time-consuming.

IIRC, they had two (?) people working on software — that includes the operating systems for Nord Stage, Nord Electro, Nord Wave, Nord Piano, AND the Windows and Mac clients. Plus whatever new products are in the pipeline.

Taking a week out to work on a new Sample Editor has direct consequences for bugfix updates for ALL of those product lines, and release schedules for any unreleased products.

analogika wrote:... But I was there for the Intel transition (and, in fact, for the PowerPC transition back in 1994-ish)...

Yep! And there were also some interesting differences back in 1984-ish with the Apple II series, the Lisa and the Macintosh...

History seems to repeat itself from time to time.


Sent from my phone in brevity

You bought your Nord without ipad support, no? So while I understand that it is desirable, it did not affect your purchase.
I also wish they supported linux, but I bought a Nord anyway.

Personaly talking, I bought both my nords without giving a s..t about i-pad support, I just like to plug and play. Easy user interface and warmth of the sound were the factors that made me love those toys! (and maybe some swedish DNA )
Of course their software are great tools, but I use them only for the preperation. It would bother me more if i-pad was NESECARY to run those instruments....
Anyway, we can't deny that almost all younger users need that i-pad communication and if clavia wants to go forward they must follow the stream, but with respect to the older loyal fellows!

alex78 wrote:

You bought your Nord without ipad support, no? So while I understand that it is desirable, it did not affect your purchase.
I also wish they supported linux, but I bought a Nord anyway.

Personaly talking, I bought both my nords without giving a s..t about i-pad support, I just like to plug and play. Easy user interface and warmth of the sound were the factors that made me love those toys! (and maybe some swedish DNA )
Of course their software are great tools, but I use them only for the preperation. It would bother me more if i-pad was NESECARY to run those instruments....
Anyway, we can't deny that almost all younger users need that i-pad communication and if clavia wants to go forward they must follow the stream, but with respect to the older loyal fellows!

Get a 70€/$ tablet Win10 tablet and you can have NSM and NSE "portable"