RE: [linux-audio-dev] Still I cannot understand why...

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Subject: RE: [linux-audio-dev] Still I cannot understand why...
From: Ivica Bukvic (ico_AT_fuse.net)
Date: Tue Dec 18 2001 - 11:19:29 EET


> 1) Poor documentation

That's why we should put some effort to change this.

> 2) Difficult installation and configuration (not for me, but for users
of
> my
> software)

Of course! This is because Alsa is not a part of the kernel. Once it
becomes a part of kernel, it will be the same like OSS in this respect.

> 3) Constantly changing API (required lots of changes to my code 0.5 ->
> 0.9)

Again, if you have been reading up on the past couple posts in this
topic, you'd realize that the API is rather close to the 1.0 release
(something that I learned by participating in this thread as well), and
as such is not prone any more to dramatic changes, as was the case in
the past.

> 4) Currently supports only Linux. (required: FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD,
> Solaris, HP-UX, AIX and IRIX (I know, OSS doesn't support IRIX
either))
>
> I _don't_ like to support single OS API's, it reminds me too much
about
> Win... One of the main reasons for writing support for ALSA was that
QNX
> has
> ALSA API. So it's not single platform API, but almost.

I have to completely disagree with your statement here. I could not care
less for BSD, Solaris or any other flavor or *nix. I use Linux and that
is all I care for. Neither do I see any similarity with Windows since I
find this aspect to be a rather weak basis for comparison, as well as
irrelevant argument in respect to Alsa/Linux audio. Besides this is a
typical issue of quantity vs. quality, and right now with OSS we got all
the quantity we could possibly get with very little or no quality.

On top of that, if Alsa proves to be all that is supposed to be, it will
set the standard, and there will be an initiative from the other OS
camps to port the architecture. So I see no point in doing their
homework. OTOH I do understand there is the issue of cross-platform
compatibility, but then it all boils down again to the issue of quantity
vs. quality: do I want to make an audio app that will compile even on a
palm pilot that will thus be capable of only producing different-pitched
bleeps, or do I want to work for a specific platform and make an
Ardour-like monster app?

I would much rather see Alsa developers invest their time into
perfecting Alsa's architecture, than use the same time for porting an
API that is yet to be completed/widely used to other OS's.

Ico


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