Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] an open letter to Linus re: low latency
From: Jay Ts (jay_AT_toltec.metran.cx)
Date: Fri Jun 23 2000 - 03:41:49 EEST
John Lazzaro wrote:
> Jay Ts wrote:
> > So Linux and other Unix
> > varieties are still in the process of accomodating the audio hardware in
> > a structured and sensible way.
>
> Maybe the underlying issue here is the lack of a POSIX standard for audio
> I/O -- if we were petitioning an OS development group to incorporate an
> IEEE standard into their system, it would be an easier sell ...
Yes it certainly would.
However, consider that Unix had been developed for about 20 years before
the POSIX.1 standard was created. And that was after a number of code
forkings and reunifications. By that time, Unix was pretty mature, and
AT&T had published their SVID (System V Interface Document). It's a
lot easier to define and agree upon a standard when the technology has
already been fleshed out and agreed upon to a large extent.
Likewise, the POSIX.1b (real time) standard was created after there
had been many successful attempts to develop real-time operating systems.
So the standard was not created from a vacuum. Although there are some
very arguable points in the POSIX real-time standard, it is for the most
part based on tried-and-true technology. (I'm a little out my element
here, but I think there had been a number of RT OSs developed, and some
papers published on real time implementations before the POSIX RT
extensions were written. At least, I remember reading magazine articles
on the subject.)
Meanwhile, the support for audio that is being created for Linux right now
(ALSA and OSS) may be the most leading edge public (open source) attempt.
Let's see, Sun and SGI have supported audio hardware for a while, and then
there's (gulp) Microsoft and Apple, and not to forget the Amiga. I don't
know about y'all, but I don't think I want a POSIX standard based on any
of those implementations. The next step, as I see it, is to create a really
good non-proprietary design, document it, and then ask POSIX for a standard
based on it.
Hmm, I see you signed your message with:
> John Lazzaro -- Research Specialist -- CS Division -- EECS -- UC Berkeley
I wonder if UCB would have any interest in developing an advanced audio
subsystem, in the same manner that MIT developed X Window? Got any funding
for research? It would be cool.
- Jay Ts
jay_AT_jayts.cx
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