[linux-audio-user] Attracting more Linux audio developers

[Patrick Shirkey]

Mathias Friman wrote:
> On Sat, 2006-12-09 at 19:17 +0100, Leonard Ritter wrote:
> 
>> On Sat, 2006-12-09 at 09:54 -0800, Tim Howard wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>>    It seems that there is a general sense of frustration among the
>>> linux audio community with attracting more developers, users, etc. to
>>> start using Linux for serious audio work.
> 
> Where can you read about using Linux for serious audio work? It is for
> sure not in the mainstream press around here. You have to be seriously
> involved in the Linux community to see that there is a platform for
> audio work on Linux. Perhaps I was just ignorant because I was not
> interested in pursuing my old tracking-career during the 90's on Linux,
> but as late as in July, all I knew about the Linux audio community was
> the tiny little bit held by Audacity.
> 
> Four or five months later, I have a decent low latency system that I can
> use for hobby recording. I don't know how many more months it would take
> me if I decided to go into audio development.
> 
> [cut]
> 
> Leonard:
>> what you say is not true. they're coming. i migrated from windows to
>> linux. we ported a few plugins. energyxt is being ported. there will be
>> more and more, and i do not believe it requires any special effort or
>> bounty to persuade them. slowly, people are going to realize that
>> windows is a dead end. sometimes all you have to do is wait, and help
>> the people who just arrived to find a good start.
> 
> The question is, where is this good start? If all the people on this
> list got together to form a basic documentation of how to set up a
> studio in Linux, you wouldn't have to answer the same questions over and
> over again. :) Instead, as a new user, the only solution is endless
> googling in largely outdated 30-row-textfiles that does not explain more
> than is absolutely necessary.
> 
> One cannot develop something one does not understand.
> 
> Example:
> When asking on this list where to find information about understanding
> the .asoundrc-file, I get the answer:
> "You shouldn't need .asoundrc. If you do, there's a bug in ALSA".
> I got a helpful answer aswell, but that is not the point.
> 
> Perhaps stupid questions deserve stupid answers, but that is not what I
> asked. :) Before asking this question, I tried consulting the ALSA
> developer docs, did endless googling on the subject and tried other
> mailing-lists and forums. Maybe the information was out there and I just
> didn't find it. And it may very well be completely unnecessary to know
> anything about the .asoundrc-file, but when trying to ask stupid
> questions and answer them through documentation, it is a bit
> frustrating. No offence, you who answered me. :)
> 
> Instead of getting questions about realtime kernels twenty times a year,
> EVERY year, why not put together a documentation that new users can use?
> One that is not written by Paul Winkler in 2000 and has references to
> kernel 2.2.x
> 
> The intellectual capacity and the knowledge is here. I'd be happy to
> compile something like this, I even like to write, but I need some
> material to start from. And you guys are the experts.
> 
> Just my $/€0.02
> 
> Highest regards,
> Mathias
> 
> 

Hi Matthias,

Your concerns are valid. The only way that they will be resolved is if 
you take the time to fix the documentation issues you have noticed or to 
send updates to the people who maintain the pages you find problems with.

That is how the documents were created in the first place and it is the 
only way they will continue to evolve.

If you are unable to contribute then you can harrass the owners but it 
doesn't make as much progress or impact in the long run.

Cheers.


-- 
Patrick Shirkey - Boost Hardware Ltd.
Http://www.boosthardware.com
Http://lau.linuxaudio.org - The Linux Audio Users guide
========================================

"Anything your mind can see you can manifest physically, then it will 
become reality" - Macka B