it has nothing to do with apparences, you are using puredata and making
money, but it's not really a job, like web developper, or teacher, or sound
engineer, ...
I'm sorry, but I'm a musician, I study music since I was 11 (a late age to
start), and I have several diplomas (not that they're worth anything). And
Pd is my instrument, as it is the instrument I use the most to do my
music. My job is to be a musician, it's what I studied all my life. I know
that in some countries that doesn't count as a job, but on some others it
does.
(what I do sometimes to pay the rent isn't my desired job, but a
compromise so that I can have my independence when doing music. although
many people would see it in reverse)
I do gain more money actually with PureData by using it for some
installations, but I could use any other tool, if i'd be a good developper I'd make my
own tool with c code for example, or python, is C a professional tool? is python
a professional tool? No they are languages, why PureData isn't just considered as a language?
if they allow people to do profissional work, why aren't they professional
as well?
what's professional? e.g. reason, which comes with a nice GUI and manual,
and doesn't let you do a fraction of what you can do with pd?
is max/msp professional? if yes, what's the difference between that and pd?
is csound professional? it's free, it's taught in many universities, and
used by many many composers. and for tape synthesis it's the best you can
get.
if by "professional" you mean "it's sold and people make profit from it",
then in today's world it's such a worthy definition as to say "the website
of this software is blue, therefore it's a good website".