Re: [LAD] Guide to Linux Sound APIs

> Thank you for this effort.
> I think it's a good idea, but

Yeah, me too Lennart, I totally adore and follow your efforts to fix
Linux Audio for "everyone".

> For example you write:
> "I don't think that PortAudio is very good API for Unix-like operating
> systems. I cannot recommend it, but it's your choice."
> That's your opinion only, without any why.
> I would prefere a pro/contra style with facts instead,
> maybe with some clearly separated opinion-statements at the bottom of it.

Never underestimate programmer lazyness. ;-)

Actually I use PortAudio in my App for one simple reason: It has the
same basic API model as JACK. I also have a jack backend, but whenever
jack fails, due to misconfiguration, or not being available, my app
falls back to PortAudio. Did I mention that this is an easy API? ;-)

I guess my app is somewhere between:

> * I want to do professional audio programming, hard-disk recording,
> music synthesizing, MIDI interfacing!
> - Use JACK and/or the full ALSA interface.
> * I want to do basic PCM audio playback/capturing!
> - Use the safe ALSA subset.

So using the safe ALSA subset, would probably be possible for me.
However, I won't, because I'd rather concentrate on my domain specific
areas of expertise, and understanding complex APIs is not one of them.

Many of my users are likely not even aware or care about what JACK is,
so how is "Zero-Configuration" Jack coming along? ;-) :-P I will
happily drop PortAudio as soon as I am sure that Jack works out of the
box everywhere. hehe

Anyways, so what is my point? Probably that ease of use is another
thing that is important for judging Audio APIs, especially when you
pursue programming free software in your free time, like I do.

Cheers,
and have fun
-Richard

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