Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] RE: MMA memebership [was XAP: Some thoughts on control ramping]
From: Patrick Shirkey (pshirkey@boosthardware.com)
Date: Thu Jan 23 2003 - 20:35:46 EET
Ron Kruper said:
>The MMA is a trade association, akin to a standards body like the AES.
>Do you also object to the fact that AES, IEEE, etc, charge membership
>dues, and that they too hold evolving standards discussions for
members >only? How does the fact that this happens to be _software_
standard >mandate that dues be waived?
I wasn't suggesting that dues be waved but that they may not be
neccessary. Paul makes a point in terms of anittrust legal fees but
surely the lgpl solves that problem.
>This isn't about being for or against open source, or a lack of
>understanding. This is about recognizing that developing and
supporting >a standard requires legal work, marketing, publications,
etc, and that >these cost money. Call it "old economy" if you must, but
if you want to
>interoperate with the major companies in the industry, the MMA is forum
>where they gather, and the MMA has a cost structure associated with it.
Where's the legal work involved in applying for example the lgpl to this
standard? Sure there is investment in the marketing and publications
side of things. We all know that the mass market needs it's eye candy.
But there should be very little legal fees associated with a truely open
standard.
If companies need to purchase the documents and specs to feel that it is
worth something then they should be the ones paying for the goods.
However I don't won't to appear negative towards the workings of the
MMA. I want to suggest that the open source community has been working
in the direction you are heading for a while and that maybe the MMA
should be looking into why it is working so well. Which is possibly the
same reason you are here now.
Linux has proven to be the perfect medium for hardware manufacturers to
get an equal footing. The truely large corporations are investing big
bucks into GNU/Linux because of this. It makes sense that any
professional who makes their business around computer technology would
want to be here too.
>IMO the *worst* possible scenario is that the commercial companies
>(many of whom are a one man show) decide that they want to join the
>MMA, while a sizeable group of others decide to persue a parallel
>effort. That gives us 2 standards, and nobody wins.
I'm sure everyone agress this is definitely something we don't want.
The developers who created the current music software industry must have
felt the crush when PC's first arrived, well it's happening again but
this time it's not forcing you into a proprietry business model. This
time you actually have a choice.
Anyways, it's good to see you and others like yourself arriving here.
-- Patrick Shirkey - Boost Hardware Ltd. For the discerning hardware connoisseur http://www.boosthardware.com http://www.djcj.org - The Linux Audio Users guide ========================================Being on stage with the band in front of crowds shouting, "Get off! No! We want normal music!", I think that was more like acting than anything I've ever done.
Goldie, 8 Nov, 2002 The Scotsman
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