Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] testing the waters
From: Joe Miklojcik (jmik_AT_nbcs.rutgers.edu)
Date: Tue Jun 27 2000 - 20:05:47 EEST
Benno Senoner wrote:
> I think an audio-distro isn't strictly necessary,
>
> it will be easier to provide a couple of RPMs (or DEBs),
> which transform your Redhat,Suse,Debian etc distro in an
> audio distro.
>
> These would comprise the lowlatency kernel ,
> ALSA and other audio software that will be useful.
>
> You could put one single (or several smaller) RPM on a website,
> so that the user with a single
> rpm -i audio_distro.rpm can transform his standard distro
> in one optimized for audio.
>
> I say this because many are not willing to reinstall a distro from scratch
> (I am one of these :-) ) , and the the audio-distro will not be very different
> from a standard distro for 99% of the packages.
> That is why I prefer to ship the "diff",
> and using RPM or DEB make this really easy.
RedHat and probably others are organized around the idea of being either a
networked shell/emacs/netscape/gnome workstation or a networked
web/mail/file/print server. As such, many network services are installed and
running in the default configuration, for example. Very different choices in
default configuration, and even included software, would be made in a "Linux
Audio Distribution". My RedHat installation is *severely* hacked in the name of
better rtcsound and MIDI performance. I cut boot time in half or better by
rooting around in /etc/init.d getting all the default crap out of my way.
Not to mention the special kernel hacks and device drivers you need.
Dave's CD seems like a good idea, but if it were accompanied with something like
Zipslack, then you'd really have something. The success of ZipSpeak comes to
mind.
RPMs really don't seem like enough, unless you're willing to repackage a lot of
the RedHat (or SuSE, etc.) base packages, which then makes your suite of RPMs
somewhat difficult to install unless you're starting with a virgin RedHat
install.
Also, the "one big RPM that does everything" is always a bad idea.
---- Joe Miklojcik
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