There are discussions on kde-multimedia about
the future of Linux/Unix multimedia (especially sound).
This is one of the most interesting messages.
CSL is proposed primarily as a wrapper layer around existing APIs. as
such, it seems to me to have no particular merits over PortAudio,
which has the distinct advantages of (1) existing (2) working on many
platforms already and (3) using well-developed abstractions. CSL was
written as if PortAudio doesn't exist. I don't know if this a NIH
attitude, or something else, but I see little reason not use consider
PortAudio as *the* CSL, and by corollary, little reason to develop Yet
Another Wrapper API. the only reason i was happy writing JACK was
precisely because its not another wrapper API - it specifically
removes 90% of the API present in ALSA, OSS and other similar HAL-type
APIs.
--p