On Sat, 2006-05-13 at 16:08 -0700, Serge wrote: > Hi all, > > It appears that most musical apps on Unix requires ALSA. > > I know, the Sun audio0 API is itself very nice, other hand ALSA is Linux, but how to compose music (with Rosegarden, for example) on Solaris without ALSA ? > > In other words, it is possible to port the driver ALSA on the Opensolaris kernel and how ? > > Or is there a sequencer/music editor working on Opensolaris, with sunaudio or OSS ? The current audio API is shonky, I remember a while back someone mentioned that SUN was developing a replacement API internally for it - maybe they'll add an ALSA compatibility layer.
Good new !
ALSA is licenced under the GPL unfortunately, it is also heavily leaning towards Linux - now in theory, one could develop a clean-room implementation of ALSA based off the specifications.
In the fact, i'm certainly not the only one musician as Solaris user : i'm wondering, that the Solaris staff does not say something about this. The reality is that, as i wrote, most sound applications on Unix works with ALSA. Solaris recognizes, as i readed, the necessity to port the DRI implementation on his kernel, Solaris uses KDE, Gnome (two Linux originels products), the interest is the same for ALSA.
My idea is not to transform Solaris in any Linux distribution, only to use the best from Linux : and ALSA is now, fortunately or unfortunately, the actual sound standard for us Unixians. As i saw, Rosegarden is now the most advanced sequencer and music editor, the others that i know (Jazz, Brahms are not maintened and works with old versions of the required softs), also Muse need ALSA.
I have yet (as try) the OSS with sunaudio emulation on my Sol10 machine :The other alternative is for SUN to purchase OpenSound and bundle it as part of OpenSolaris/Solaris, which is another option.
- the general sound (jmplay, timidity) is less good that the original audio0 ;
- the music editors requires ALSA without alternative.
The problem isn't really the lack of options but SUN's unwillingness to do something about the situation, and dare I say it, their past, current and future server-centric approach when it comes to developing Solaris is not exactly making me optimistic at this current moment in time.
The question is really to join the great features from Solaris (robustness, quality, order in conception) and the actuals application needs.Its also possible that, like with aRTs, the problem resides in the low latency implementation. But it's not a valable reason : Solaris is traditionaly the OS oriented for research, computing (fractals, 3d as i use) : and for the sound, i need to maintain a Linux partition on my Sol machine, as most people is presume.
Matty
OK, Matty, thank's for your quick and documented response.
- I'll try to send a copy of this interessant discussion to the rosegarden team, in the case where they have the idea to produce some development for help us (like also BSD and OSX)
Cheers,
Sergio
