Here are the 2 pennies from an end-user that is NOT a programmer, NOT a Unix/Linux guru. I'm simply a desktop user and weekend hacker, 37 years old. I use Linux exclusively for all desktop purposes, file/print server, etc.
On Wed, Jan 21, 2004 at 03:28:53AM +1300, Sam Vilain wrote: > > Maybe you didn't have the time, it feels like a shame. Do *not* vent > that anger or "wouldn't it have been nice if..." feelings at the ALSA > developers. For the most part, they do an excellent job satisfying > the great number of people out there by making 95% of the features > that 95% of people want work. Sam made the point. Sam is right. I'd like to just make a couple personal observations, if I could... It's free and voluntary. Most all of the Linux world is free and voluntary. I've gotten my panties in a bunch over a couple of things like this before, and then I remember that most all of this stuff is developed, maintained and supported by volunteers. That in and of itself is incredible! And to get to the level that Linux has in the world, is astounding! More than a rant or a bitch session, I think we should take our hats off to these guys. I couldn't get ALSA and Ogle (DVD) to play together nicely. No sound. Some conflict somewhere. I posted on Ogle and then on ALSA. I got some advice and help, but it didn't get fixed. So, I downloaded an installed MPlayer. Works fine with ALSA, to a point. It still doesn't play as nicely as in Windows. So what? There's no one to bitch at. Ogle, MPlayer, ALSA... it's all free, and it's all my choice to use. If I don't like it, I boot into Windows and watch my movie. It's too bad we gotta be so demanding of volunteers. I would think it would be a little demotivating to the voluteers - like they aren't appreciated, and one they'll just say "To h_ll with this" and stop developing. That would be a drag. And, too, there is no God-given, inalienable right to have, own and be able to use a computer. We demand because we believe we have rights. Someone _demands_ that Linux be more user friendly. Sorry, it's not. And if one is not willing to climb the learning curve (I did, and it cost me a lot of time reading and trial-and-error), then they cannot use Linux. Go use Windows or Mac. And then the issue of cost comes up: "I can't use Mac or Windows because I can't afford it!" Then, that's that. You can't have a computer. Who says you have a God-given, inalienable right to a computer. I live in a country where less than 20% of the people can afford the hardware, let alone the software, to own a personal computer. That too bad, but that's reality. And life goes on for these people, with or without a computer, Mac, Windows, Linux or whatever. So it seems to me to be terribly immature, short-sighted, egotistica, self-centered and wholely unfounded to _demand_ anything of anyone in the computer world. Buy it, get it, and use it. If you can't, then stop crying like a pampered, spoiled, rich kid from the United States that has always had his way. I guess what I want to say with this post is: 1. Some things in LinuxLand do not work for me, and some things do work, but not as well as in Windows (very few, but there are some). Regardless, I have no problem with it. It's free. What am I going to do, sue for my money back? 2. The development in LinuxLand is superb. ALSA is an example. I appreciate the work that's gone into it, even though I recognized there are shortcomings. But, I also recognize that the nature of the beast is this: the developers are already working on those shortcomings. Solutions are on the way. It's just a matter of time, and probably not much time (if this works like other thing in open source; fast!). To the ALSA geeks: thanks. I use your work. I enjoy your work. I think you've done a far better job than I could ever (!) have done. -gk -- Mutt 1.4.1i on Slackware 9.1 Linux Curridabat, San Jose, Costa Rica http://www.greg-and-sue.com/screenshot.jpg Yahoo Instant Messenger ID: gregkedro ------------------------------------------------------- The SF.Net email is sponsored by EclipseCon 2004 Premiere Conference on Open Tools Development and Integration See the breadth of Eclipse activity. February 3-5 in Anaheim, CA. http://www.eclipsecon.org/osdn _______________________________________________ Alsa-user mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/alsa-user
