Very gray area. Some people can rock out using Ableton live. It has changed the way live techno is done. But unless there's some other element added to the laptop...it's kinda boring. To watch. I personaly wouldn't use a computer for live use, or to make music with. All my PAs are done with my machines in pattern play/write mode. I usually keep the TR-707 in write mode the whole time and add & subtract sounds on the fly. The MMT-8 and TB-303 are kept in pattern write mode. Sometimes i will bring a TR-505 with to trigger drum samples, and keep that i write mode. That is MY live pa set up. The definition of Live PAs has changed over the years. If the music is bangin' who cares! As long as you're not using pre-set sequences out of a groove box=o]