Re: [Jack-Devel] The Situation(s) With JACK

Hi All,

Firstly, in response to Phil Rhodes (other points below!), I hope that
your input doesn't get dismissed, because there's an important point
in there.  As an open-source specialist working with artists and the
cultural sector, there are things in there that I recognise.  I think
you do miss a swathe of free software development that is user
focused, though.  There are projects that take pride in being
user-focused, and you miss out the third-way of commercial free
software development (there are lots of people paid to write free
code), where user focus is highly important.  I haven't been lurked
here long enough to know whether JACKs' (plural!) user-focus is good
enough, but it needs to be!

The other mistake I think you make, Phil, though I think most people
do is to think of Linux as an OS rather than as part of the building
blocks of an OS.  Distros are closer to what an OS is, and I wish more
emphasis would be placed on software saying "packaged and tested on
Ubuntu, Fedora, etc", rather than "works on Linux".  If something says
works on Linux, I expect it to work on my router and my phone too! :-)

Specifically with regards to JACK's future, one thing I'd like to see
in it is more focus for consumer audio (hear me out!).  Someone
mentioned PulseAudio earlier, and I'm glad that car wreck is slowly
uncrumpling.  I understand the different focuses between the two
projects, but I also think it should be possible for any pro-audio
user to have JACK running continuously as a system service, but still
be able to listen to music, play a video, etc. without switching JACK
off.  Whether that means easier / better integration with ALSA or
PulseAudio, I don't know.

I know all this is roughly possible - I used to have an Indamixx
tablet which did all this neatly (with a customized ALSA -> JACK
bridge I think), whether running Ardour, Hydrogen or Totem.  I'd just
like it to be easy!  Both Apple and Microsoft seem to be merging the
needs of pro and consumer audio in their API's.  I doubt we'll see one
API to rule them all, this being Linux after all, but something that
did to some extent serve both camps would be a big plus!

Best wishes,

Neil


-- 
Neil C Smith
Artist : Technologist : Adviser
http://neilcsmith.net

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