If you're not allowed to be critical of a subject, then one should question if the subject has any true merit.

You say it's pointless to compare to VCV Rack Pro where the whole point of the Cardinal project is to create a plugin version.

I think your commentary is disingenuous.

You can also use any VST plugin inside of Cardinal using the Carla and Ildaeil modules.

We also have several modules that are missing from VCV Rack because they were never ported to 2.0 Some of our own modules are missing from the VCV Library because of their commercial restrictions.

And while the idea of an "infinite" rack of modules is really cool, that is also not the goal of Cardinal or how we feel it is best used. Quality of quantity first.

There is still a big list of potential modules to include: https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal/wiki/Possible-modules-to... However we are somewhat limited by what we can even build in a single CI job on github. Our current builds are already quite stretching of what is possible. And again quality over quantity.

One could argue that a plugin version is more than a minor feature.

Cardinal is not affiliated with VCV in any way. We use the upstream Rack source-code as a base so any support towards VCV will ultimately "trickle down" (in the form of code) back to Cardinal as well.

There is an LV2/VST2/3/CLAP/JSFX plugin loader (Carla or Ildaeil) that can load audio plugins, but these don't sit directly in the Rack DSP graph and do not modify the Rack runtime like its modules do. You could load the VCV-Pro plugin and run it inside one of these if needed ;)

Think the Mutable Instruments modules, many of these are based around STM32 microcontrollers. The firmware is MIT licensed and has simply been ported into Rack modules.

There are a number of Rack modules that started out as pure hardware that now have virtual counter-parts.

Cardinal is based on open-source modules (compatible with GPL3.0-or-later license) that are all compiled into a single static binary.

This is not possible with proprietary binaries.

Definitely enough for endless hours of modular patching.

Cardinal also contains MIT, BSD and CC0 modules. As long as all the code is compatible to GPL3.0-or-later since everything is built into a single static binary.

A lot of work has gone into due diligence in order to vet all the resources that have gone into the project: https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal/blob/main/docs/LICENSES....

The value proposition that Cardinal offers by being self-contained is one of stability, backwards-compatibility and being able to easily share patches with other users without having to download or buy anything additional.

See the differences document to better understand how the projects compare: https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal/blob/main/docs/DIFFERENC...

Their main model is based around having a "limitless" store where users can buy "premium" modules. And having a plugin-version that allows loading these dynamic modules. This is not something that Cardinal allows and goes straight into the philosophy of a "self-contained" audio plugin.

If anything it's an easy (and free) stepping-stone for users to try a plugin version of Rack and then buy "the real deal" when they want the full-on VCV Rack experience.

The two can easily co-exist. They can even load each other as plugins.

The New-SM repo is hosted here: https://github.com/jackaudio/new-session-manager

I am very happy with the free and open tools I have at my disposal. Even with the numerous rough edges, duct-tape and hacks to keep some things together.

This is Hacker News, right?