[oss-devel] Improving OSS installation

[Hannu Savolainen]

Yair K. wrote:
> Hi,
>
> In the forum, I've noticed that much of the problems users have with OSS, 
> relate to making applications output via OSS, not making OSS work. For 
> example see:
>
> http://cinnamonpirate.com/blog/480/
> http://www.rawspinach.org/2008/01/15/sound-on-fedora-fc8-solved/
> http://www.4front-tech.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2461&sid=e270103d1336fe877d7eee4c7b8e3c8d
>   
This is correct observation. The most common problems with OSS4 seem to be:
- Linux doesn't support precompiled binary drivers. This means that 
gcc/binutils/make/kernel_headers/etc must be installed before OSS can be 
installed. This is far too complicated for majority of Linux users.
- Applications included in Linux distributions have been compiled and 
configured for ALSA. Recompiling them is too complicated.
- OSS plugins of many Linux applications are bogus. They may use 
non-blocking I/O incorrectly. Some other use stupid usleep() hacks that 
don't work reliably.
> I think a few simple changes, can make for a much better experience:
>
> 1) Compile libflashsupport.so by default. If we comment out the #define 
> OPENSSL line from flashsupport.c, than no new dependencies are introduced.
> Maybe even use the method currently used in soundon for libsalsa to install 
> it.
>   
The problem is that precompiled libflashsupport.so may depend on 
libraries/versions that are not installed. That prevents flash from 
working at all (even without sound). So in practise the only safe way is 
to compile it in the target system (if it works).

> 2) What is the ossupdate program? Is it a reliable way of updating oss? It 
> seems to be still closed source.
>   
ossupdate is a bonus program for the users who have licensed OSS.
> 3) Inform the user he may need to install oss sound plugins for applications 
> when installation is done.
>   
Users don't seem to read the messages printed during/after the installation.

Best regards,

Hannu