[MPlayer-dev-eng] [patch] prefer ALSA over OSS

[Adrian Bunk]

On Thu, May 03, 2007 at 09:48:03AM -0400, Rich Felker wrote:
> On Thu, May 03, 2007 at 06:15:54AM +0200, Adrian Bunk wrote:
> > On Wed, May 02, 2007 at 11:17:24PM -0400, Compn wrote:
> > > On Wed, 02 May 2007 22:52:21 -0400, Rich Felker scribed:
> > > 
> > > >Not deluded at all. I don't expect them to magically ditch ALSA crap
> > > >tomorrow, but I do know that preservation of features slated for
> > > >removal is contingent on software using those features and a vocal
> > > >community to stand behind them. The OSS API, being _THE_ portable
> > > 
> > > you guys should take this fight to the lkml.
> > > 
> > > :)
> > 
> > I doubt this would make sense:
> > 
> > It's unlikely that anyone is able to achieve anything regarding the 
> > Linux kernel with fighting for OSS today.
> > 
> > There are right times for achieving something, and sometimes the right 
> > times are in the past.
> 
> The right time to do the right thing is always now.
>...

You can always try, but there are times with realistic chances for 
success and there are times without realistic chances for success.

As an example, changing the userspace API results in work for many 
people giving an argument against changing it.

Arguing (and coding) for OSS before the point of the ALSA merge would 
have had this argument on your side.

But now that more or less all software supports ALSA and all 
distributions ship with ALSA as default sound system and default 
userspace API, the argument is against you.

> > The Linux kernel contains a standard sound system maintained by the 
> > people who developed it. That's ALSA.
> 
> s/standard/nonstandard/

ALSA is now the standard sound system and the standard userspace API 
under Linux.

> > Even if 4Front Technologies would suddenly decide to make their code 
> > available under the GPL it would be too late - had they done it five 
> > years ago, or if anyone else would have been an active maintainer for 
> > the in-kernel OSS speaking loudly for OSS at that time, it could be that 
> > ALSA would have never entered the kernel.
> > 
> > At the right time, the ALSA people were the ones who had code to offer, 
> > and their code was accepted.
> 
> You're repeating the standard fallacy of ALSA: assuming the drivers
> have anything to do with the API. They don't. The ALSA drivers are
> perfectly usable with the OSS API, and the opposite is also true if
> anyone cared to write an ALSA wrapper for OSS drivers (either the old
> OSS-free ones or the nasty 4front binaryware).
>...

4Front Technologies already ship their drivers with a wrapper for the 
ALSA userspace API.

> Rich

cu
Adrian

-- 

       "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
        of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
       "Only a promise," Lao Er said.
                                       Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed