Linux VST (or any effects format) Roadmap

[cfirwin3]

The GitHub picture on Linux VST support is frankly depressing. There are some mods that push back on the notion that Linux is second class in this new era of MuseScore development, but that is exactly what the development scheme seems to demonstrate. As of now, any sort of effects capability is scheduled (but not really) for version 4.1.
I say 'but not really' because the implementation has been tagged for community development only. Nobody is assigned to this task. The 'spin' that mods will put on this is "oh, isn't it lovely that the community can develop MuseScore to make it what they want?!"... but that's not really the implication here. This designation seems to be the development team's way of saying, 'we really don't care much about Linux. In fact, we care so little, that this staple function in our cross-platform software doesn't even need to work on Linux, and we are good with that, permanently, if need be... fix it yourself, if that's a problem".

I may get flamed by a mod for this comment, but let's be honest, GitHub discussion has been a reliably 'deaf ear' when it comes to Linux capabilities. The .org forum has several threads devoted to this sentiment. There's virtually zero productive discussion on Linux exclusive problems here. Windows problems, on the other hand, get undivided attention and development assignment on the smallest of issues.

I hope that this is merely a message that hasn't been clear up to this point. The folks that are being vocal about this are end-users. They are composers, not developers. We can't fix it ourselves. It stands to reason that team developers should be responsible to implement GUI represented functions in this so-called cross-platform software. This feature is not a Linux specific 'request'... it is, so far, a cross-platform 'broken promise'.

My fear is that Linux folks should probably get used to broken promises going forward. I eagerly invite anyone with development power and control to change my mind on this. I don't enjoy this 'sour taste' regarding a software package that I have championed for many years. The new features in MuseScore 4 are brilliant. But we seem to be in an era where truly using the software means adopting a proprietary distribution, which is a fairly outrageous requirement for software like MuseScore, with its rich history as the open source giant that it is.

I've spoken my piece. Hopefully some of this will hit home with someone that has authority and capability to address it in a meaningful way. Thank you to the developers for all that you have done so far.