Subject: [linux-audio-dev] developers and development: some thoughts
From: Dave Phillips (dlphilp_AT_bright.net)
Date: Fri May 25 2001 - 17:47:04 EEST
Greetings:
When LAD was first founded the name choice (Linux Audio Development)
was deliberate in order to hopefully accomodate users and developers in
an open forum. Very obviously the group now tends heavily towards
developers and their concerns, and many members of the list know it as
the Linux Audio Developers list.
I have absolutely no problem with this evolution and I'm quite hapy to
see it continue so. However, I'm wondering if perhaps it isn't time to
split LAD into something like the comp.os.linux.development newsgroup,
where there is a further division into c.o.l.d.system and c.o.l.d.apps.
I'm concerned that the high level of discussion surrounding very
technical issues may be keeping users from voicing their own concerns
about the development of Linux audio software. For all the traffic on
LAD there are very few new software announcements, and there is almost
no discussion regarding other aspects of Linux audio software beyond
developers' issues. Further, while those issues are of significance to
all of us, the discussion is at a level open only to those with the
requisite background (I freely confess that much of it is over my head)
and/or an interest in those particular issues.
So I'm wondering: Is there any interest in a division into LAD/systen
and LAD/apps ? The other existing channels (alsa-user mail-list,
linux.dev.sound, etc) are themselves too narrow or too poorly defined to
serve as forums for the discussion of issues such as the following:
What audio software does Linux need ?
How can I use [some Linux audio app here] in a production environment
?
Where can I find software that does [your special needs here] ?
Who do I talk to about developing custom audio software ?
Where are we heading ? Who decides how we get there ?
Is anyone else interested in [your interest here] ?
How do I get started using this cool stuff ?
Why is it so difficult to set up [random Linux audio app here] ?
What should I use if want to [special purpose here] ?
and so forth. I receive a fair amount of mail from people asking such
questions, and I usually don't mind helping out. However, perhaps
everyone's purposes could be better served by two lists: one dedicated
to the concerns of Linux audio software users, and one dedicated to the
activities of Linux audio software developers.
And as ever, I'm still somewhat dismayed at the number of Linux audio
coders who are *not* present in LAD traffic. I don't know why this
should be so: for the most part, LAD members tend to be helpful, very
bright, and definitely doing Good Things. I've received some messages
from disgruntled developers who felt that traffic is rather heavily
dominated by only a few people, but I see that as a natural outcome of
the interested and capable parties coming together to get something
done. Still, perhaps we yet have some outreach to do in order to attract
a larger number of the Linux audio developers who are already doing
their own Good Things.
I'm rambling now, but I wonder of anyone else has had similar thoughts
and concerns. Anyone ??
Best regards,
== Dave Phillips
The Book Of Linux Music & Sound at http://www.nostarch.com/lms.htm
The Linux Soundapps Site at http://sound.condorow.net
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Fri May 25 2001 - 19:24:12 EEST