> Quick story: I have a Soundblaster AWE64. I tried like the dickens to get it
> working with the kernel sound drivers back around 2.1.98 or so, and nothing I
> could do could get it fully functional. I could get parts of it working, but
> not the whole thing.
>
ALSA configs quite easily (autoprobes many card's
configurations), and is designed as a modular system like the
commercial OSS product. It has many features that the OSS
equivalent does not, and the joystick works just fine :)
>
> The switch to ALSA, IMHO, should only happen if and only if and when ALSA is a
> near-transparent (to UserSpace) drop-in replacement for OSS.
>
ALSA offers backwards compatibility to OSS (/dev/dsp, /dev/audio,
/dev/mixer, etc..) as well as more flexible /dev devices (I'm a
little fuzzy on the details here). I've been using it for about a
year now, with little or no problems, with primarily OSS programs
(x11amp, amp, mpeg123, wmmixer, Realaudio, etc...).
The only thing missing is /dev/sequencer support, and it's
comming (.3pre1 was just released and has the first
/dev/sequencer code). If Perex (ALSA's developer) does the same
job on it that he did for the Ultrasound project, it should be
impressive indeed for MIDI.
However, ALSA does not belong in the kernel (yet) for 2 very good
reasons:
1) It is not finished, and parts are still changing; and
2) It needs to support more cards.
Perex needs help on #2. If you can help, please see
http://alsa.jcu.cz/ and contact Perex.
So far, ALSA support includes:
Ultrasound Cards (GUS, Max, ACE, Extreme)
AMD Interwave Cards
SB Cards
SB16 (not Vibra)
SB AWE cards
Ensoniq AudioPCI based cards (SB PCI32, 64, and I think 128)
CS 4232 and CS4236 cards
S3 SonicVibes
ESS cards
Oak Mozart (WSS?) cards
You get the idea. However, there are many older cards that do not
have support.
> Functionality first, nobility second.
>
ALSA, so far, does both. :)
-- ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + John Fulmer | "UNIX was not designed to stop + + Secure Network Group | you from doing stupid things, + + Lawrence, Kansas | because that would also stop you + + | from doing clever things." + + jfulmer@secnetgroup.com | + + http://www.secnetgroup.com | -- ??? + + "The opinions contained above may not reflect those of SNG" + ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/