Subject: RE: [linux-audio-dev] ALSA vs OSS/free
From: STEFFL, ERIK *Internet* (SBCSI) ("STEFFL,)
Date: Sat Mar 09 2002 - 04:52:36 EET
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Davis [mailto:pbd_AT_Op.Net]
>
...
> haven't you understood the stupidities that OSS has forced on people
> because of this assumption that a program should access /dev/foo? this
> works when the kernel side of /dev/foo embodies all that /dev/foo is
> supposed to do. this is true for filesystems, disk drives, tape
> devices and more.
>
> but in the case of audio, linus, alan and others have made it clear
> (and most of us agree with them) that they do not accept the idea that
> format conversion, channel mapping, {de,re}interleaving, device
> sharing (*not* h/w multiplexing) etc. should live in the kernel if at
> all possible. therefore, there are really useful aspects of an audio
> API that under Linux *cannot* live in the kernel. where do *you* think
> they should be?
the user space device drivers are coming (not sure if there's anything in
2.5 yet).
> the convention of accessing an inode that directly talks to a driver
> is what stops OSS apps from being used flexibly, since nothing can
> interpose between the app and the device without using
> LD_PRELOAD (gack!)
except of user space device driver (once it exists:-)
I don't mean to imply anything one way or another but I think it's an
interesting twist...
erik
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