Re: [Jack-Devel] Install wipes out Graphics Drivers, user suggestions for JACK team.

On Sun, Jan 6, 2013 at 6:01 PM, Chris Huggins
<[hidden]>wrote:

>
> The point is that JACK is only ever as good as the environment that it
> sits in. For JACK to be acceptable it really needs to be more user
> friendly. For example, I had to contact this team to find out that
> JACK doesn't work well unless Ubuntu Studio is installed as well.


Various distributions make horrendous errors and questionable judgements in
their packaging of JACK.

Right now, for example, despite the fact that Jack2 and Pulse will
interoperate quite nicely, it fails to work on current Ubuntu releases
unless the user installs an extra, rather obscure package.

Please do NOT direct mail about issues like this to JACK developers (though
using this mailing list is OK). We have no control over how distributions
do this stuff. The ones that get it right ... get ir right. The ones that
get it wrong ... need bug reports filed in their bug trackers.



> Most
> casual users would just ditch the product as another half finished
> open source app rather than persevering. Then of course I have the
> Graphics Driver problem which would upset any casual user.
>

what makes you believe that JACK is targetted at casual users?


>
> Pulse Audio is a good example of a GUI that is far easier to
> understand than JACK, as well as generally connecting without all the
> drama of JACK.  [ ... ]
> The interaction of JACK, ALSA and PULSE needs to be sorted out and
> integrated. It is just not acceptable for JACK to attempt to be a
> stand alone product with it's own language and it's own problems when
> JACK operates within the limits of the other programs. ALSA could also
> benefit from a better GUI which identifies components in the same way
> as users identify them.
>

I guess you're new around here. First of all, it appears that you have not
read the FAQ entry of JACK and PulseAudio.

Most developers of JACK do not use PulseAudio and do not consider
"integration" with Pulse (beyond what is currently done) to be a useful
goal.


>
> Three screens in QJACKCtl - Patchbay, Connections, and much of the
> Settings screen, all replicate the same purpose, and also run
> alongside auto detection of connections and devices by JACK and ALSA.
>

They do NOT replicate the same purpose. I have no idea what level of
understanding of JACK you have if you believe this to be true.

Seriously, this is just a sloppy, untidy piece of work. My apologies
> to whoever programmed it. The identification of devices within the GUI
> and the inability of JACK to provide meaningful suggestions about
> connection problems are parts of the problem. It is hugely frustrating
> that Pulse and the basic 'Sound Settings' in the operating system both
> function in a very superior way in terms of making connections.
>

read the FAQ.

I hope this feedback is of some use to the team. I am a big fan and
> supporter of Ubuntu and Open Source software and wish you every
> success.
>

we provide the techology. distributions screw it up. ubuntu has been one of
the worst, but it far from the only distribution to cause absurd levels of
"pain" for people who want to use JACK.

there are much deeper issues with linux audio that need to be resolved if
the kind of "mess" you are really referring to are ever going to be
addressed. fixing those issues requires a more authoritarian approach to
developers and APIs than the linux ecosystem makes possible. it worked for
apple because they can simply tell people what to do. you cannot do this
with linux, and as a result, the "deep" problems (none of which are
mentioned in your mail) are very, very hard to solve.

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