[NUT-devel] Freeze NUT, Flame FourCC

[Ivan Kalvachev]

Here is my second attempt to prove why string_id is better. (read my
question in  "Freeze NUT" thread"

First codec_id-s have been numbers. (e.g. mpeg-ps, wav and audio in
avi). It saves space (and i doubt there are 256 different standard
formats even now). However there is one problem, you need main
authority that assignees codes. This means that you cannot just take a
number and use it for your own codec, because it may collide with
somebody else codec.

Now, why FourCC are so much better?
It is because it allows using codes that have some meaning, this way
decreasing the possibility of 2 different entitles creating same code.
4 char are usually long enough for most acronyms.

Why string id are better?
Simply we don't have to use acronyms at all, just whole names.
It avoids possibility of naming different things with same name.
It prevents calling same thing with different names.
(unless doing it intentionally).

It is impossible to give technical reasons for using string_id,
because for the computer program it doesn't really matter.
It is the meaning that human put into these codes that makes the difference.

And I think having UNAMBIGUOUS codec naming is more important than any
implementation details. (and it is good looking too;)

I'm proposing scheme in another mail.