[linux-audio-dev] image problem [was Re: [Alsa-devel] help for a levelmeter]

[Richard Bown]

On Friday 18 October 2002 04:25, Patrick Shirkey wrote:

> My opinion is that there is not enough people working on the
> promotional side of ALSA and Linux Audio.

ALSA/LAD is too geeky and too die-hard techno hardcore to appeal to 
anyone but geeks.  IMHO music geeks are the worst type of geeks and 
Linux geeks are the worst type of computer geeks.  This isn't a 
ALSA/LAD problem - it's a general Linux image problem.  Out with the 
beards and fusty academia, kernel hacking and tweakery and in with the 
primary colours and the big square buttons to get The Kids into it all.  
The Linux desktop is now sufficiently advanced that this should all be 
possible.

I argued all this with a guy from Newsforge when we showed at Linux Expo 
last week.  The article has typos all over it (including my name of 
course) and it's a little quote light but:

http://newsforge.com/newsforge/02/10/14/196240.shtml?tid=23

The point is that selling Linux Audio isn't just about Linux Audio - 
it's about selling the whole desktop.  It's about letting people know 
that if they want to make music they can just get on and make music.   
People shouldn't have to have a degree to install music software and to 
start using it.  This problem is bigger that LAD/ALSA or even AGNULA 
and it crosses that distasteful line between hobbyists twiddling and 
research and big business.  It treads on a lot of toes.

Yes, this is a troll and not a very original one at that, but it's time 
that there was a clear distinction between Linux Sound/Audio and Linux 
for Music.  The latter has a clearly defined marketplace, the former 
doesn't.

B