Personally I would rather see the browse part of the SDK replaced with an API rich enough to implement a web UI functionally comparable with the native UIs to facilitate implementations for linux, TVs etc.
From my experience using the vue framework, making a full feature responsive UI should be perfectly doable these days.
Ok - the Arch Linux thing was half an educated (imho) guess/half joke - BUT even if Roon creates their own build and/or board package for RonOS, they are still benefiting tremendously from the efforts of the Open Source community. Remember back only 10 years ago, if not less, Roon would have have to license at least a kernel from QNX or other vendors. Then also license a toolkit or buidl the GNU toolkit themselves. And I could go on.
Of course it is not wrong to do that - the Open Source community wants you to use Open Source. And the only thing that the community wants is for those who do to abide by the license and to credit the projects and developers you rely on. So far from my intention to say that Roon is doing anything wrong.
Not sure that Linux/Open Source tools are a standard per se - but being free to use and distribute, sure could make them a de facto standard. Yet well, all is driven by the fact that the price is right - $0 to license and distribute, not because of a standard.
So IMHO, yes, it would be a tremendous and commendable act of giving back to the Open Source community - the gift of a native Linux client - developed without market and other economic considerations - do it just for the joy of giving back,
Pretty Please!
v
+1 for a Roon GUI, usable from a Linux or whatever host… Even if its dead simple…
+3 for a Linux Roon app
I’d say +1, but I have two dependents whom I speak for
+1 for Linux Roon app
I’d also appreciate a native client but TBH I can live with wine very well
+1 for Linux Roon app
Actually, we’re asking for the wrong thing here. I’ve run a startup - the last thing that anyone wants to do is have multiple separate GUIs (or anything else for that matter to support). So, let’s re-phrase it…
It’s the 2020’s the 90’s called and wanted their OS-dependent UI’s back. 
Maybe it’s time to refactor into an electron/HTML5 UI?
Just a thought.
Christopher
This was going so well until you said electron.
FYI Flutter exists
Add me to the list! I’d love to see a linux client!
It doesn’t look like Roon staff read or respond to this thread, but just in case…
I am wondering what assumptions roon is making in not supporting the Linux desktop. Do they have any data which indicates the actual level of interest? My assumption would be that the roon user base would have a far higher Linux desktop user base than the general 1%. Polls on this subject at places like audio science review show a large minority of Linux users (approx 20%). Obviously windows and apple will always be highly dominant on the desktop, but the total lack of customer engagement on Linux desktop use somewhat challenges roons brand proposition as the music player for the cogniscenti.
The bug (and yes I think that’s the appropriate term) that got me here was the inability to upload a convolution filter to my roon server with any device other than a windows pc or Mac. That’s obviously fixable within the iOS controllers, but as roon haven’t done that either it leaves me resorting to running the windows executable in wine.
I get that linux packaging is a holy mess, but that doesn’t stop Proton from providing a package repo for several distributions-and Signal with its tiny developer team provide Debian packages which at least allows repackaging of a binary. Many other companies do the same, or provide a desktop agnostic route instead. Hell, I’d even pay a small premium for the hassle of producing the client, or pay for a support ticket if that’s the challenge for roon.
Just sayin’
For information: the Wine solution does not work for me: cannot get it to run at all.
Roon uses custom gui framework instead of something like QT or GTK and they don’t want to touch OpenGL rendering
I’ve read so many positive comments about Roon, and was really wanting to become a paying customer.
Now, having just read this (4 years long) thread, I realize that there is very little hope to have a native Linux client any time soon.
This missing feature being crucial for me, I’ll have to reconsider.
+1 linux UI would be a big selling point for me to keep my subscription. I am currently in a free trial using qobuz as the streaming service. Since qobuz + nuvola is a better interface on linux, I may stick to that for all platforms too.
I’m in agreement there. I did try getting a virtual machine running on Linux to run the Android remote though with no success though to be fair I do require Android emulation for my wifes Chinese TV streaming apps as well so it’s not just Roon stopping me moving entirely to Linux at this point. I’d absolutely love to do so though it seems Linux is never quite there for me.
Maybe 2022 will be the year of Linux Desktop?
Is there a downside for running Roon Remote with Wine? My understanding is that it’s a pretty decent experience.
In general, Roon Remote runs smoothly and without major problems on my three Manjaro Linux machines.
From time to time there are problems with graphics drivers (which don’t always affect all my machines), which can usually be solved by either waiting for the next OS update (which usually doesn’t take too long with Manjaro) or downgrading individual packages.
I can imagine that such problems are too much work for some people. I don’t always want to deal with such things either.
So basically I would also welcome a native Linux application or something similar.
I don’t follow the logic. This is what I parsed from your post (which I assume was a response to my question):
- Roon Remote runs smoothly
I am assuming you use Wine, because I know of no other way
- there are issues with drivers that don’t always affect me, but may be too much work for others.
OS driver issues that would affect Wine or non-Wine all the same, so if it is too much work for some, it’ll be the same whether the app is Wine based or native.
- I also would like a Linux native app
??? How does one go from 1->2->3? What am I missing? Is it the assumption that removing Wine would fix the driver issues that don’t always affect you?
It was indeed an answer to your question @danny
Sorry for being a little imprecise. Of course I run Roon Remote with Wine. I am not aware of any other possibility.
Driver may not be the correct term - libraries would be more accurate. In my case it was about individual Mesa libraries.
I guess I am under the misconception that this could be circumvented by a native Linux application, at least with one that is supposed to run on different distributions, similar to the Roon Server install script.
I’m thinking more along the lines of something like Snap or Flatpak: