Linux printing: much done and more to do (Linux.com) [LWN.net]

Linux printing: much done and more to do (Linux.com)

Posted Nov 11, 2006 4:14 UTC (Sat) by raven667 (subscriber, #5198)
In reply to: Linux printing: much done and more to do (Linux.com) by Junior_Samples
Parent article: Linux printing: much done and more to do (Linux.com)

I will admit that I don't understand ALSA and don't know anyone who does, or good documentation,
I think ALSA works better in almost all cases than the OSS drivers. When both were under active
development I found that ALSA had better hardware support, also I've found ALSA drivers to be
more reliable and work consistanly across several different kinds of audio hardware where each OSS
driver is its own unique entity with different options, different supported input and output formats,
etc. Sometimes it seems that for things to work each application needed to know about the special
quirks of each OSS driver to get things working in an optimal state.

That's how I remember it anyway, I haven't used OSS drivers in years and haven't had any ALSA
related troubles.

(Log in to post comments)

Linux printing: much done and more to do (Linux.com)

Posted Nov 11, 2006 5:17 UTC (Sat) by drag (subscriber, #31333) [Link]

Definately. Except for a certain number of sound cards Alsa is much better.

The difference between Alsa and OSS is that Alsa is designed to handle advanced features of modern hardware were OSS it has to be hacked into individual drivers.

I think that Alsa's problems are much more due to a lack of manpower rather then any sort of technical defficiencies.