Thanks a lot for your detailed reply @paul !
I am a big fan of Linux, and I would like to see more and more people switching to it, coming (as myself) from other OSes.
Probably the lack of a central governing body is both the strength and the weakness of Linux.
I am understanding more about the philosophy underlying the Ardour architecture.
I really admire the work you and the other developers have done with it!
I have many friends who are professional musicians, and the general idea I had from them was that “digital music production on Linux is a bad idea”.
I think Ardour is a game changer, and I will advertise it to them as much as I can!
And I will support your project as much as I can with donations!
The one I sent is small, but I plan to make more in the future.
Please consider that music for me is an occasional hobby, and at the moment my finances are really tight! 
Cheers!