Fedora-7 rant #3: Sound

[Karl Larsen]

Skunk Worx wrote:
> Timothy Murphy wrote:
>> I'm running F-7 with KDE,
>
> Non-default install of a non-RedHat, non-Fedora project.

    I have the Fedora 7 DVD and it lets you use KDE if you choose to.

>
>> and I'm trying to get Skype working.
>
> Non-default install of a proprietary non-RedHat, non-Fedora application.
>

    It is not even KDE approved :-(

>> The sound system seems designed for sound engineers,
>> not ordinary mortals.
>
> The huge mess of linux sound infrastructure is shared across linux 
> flavors and not specific to RedHat or Fedora.
>
    Well in fact it works a lot better on Fedora Core 4


> KDE added a large sound infrastructure too at some point.
>
> For example www.alsa-project.org supports many distros. Perhaps your 
> comments directed there could help them prioritize things.
>
    I will look there too. I didn't know it existed. Do they write the 
Volume Control for FC6 and F7?


>> What on earth do all these symbols in KMix mean?
>> (I've left clicked on the loudspeaker icon in my panel,
>> and clicked on Mixer.)
>>
>> Whoever designed the sound GUI seemed to have a love affair with 
>> triangles.
>> What on earth do these half-filled in triangles mean?
>> And why do they have a smaller triangle beside them pointing to the 
>> right?
>> Why am I given no hint of their meaning when I hover over them?
>
> These are KDE apps right? Not designed by RedHat or Fedora, but 
> offered as an alternative to gnome.
>
    And K2B works real good. I just tried the Gnome CD Rom gadget and it 
works but it is not obvious.
> This is starting to sound like a KDE,ALSA,Skype rant...all things not 
> developed by RH or Fedora.
>
    If this is the case why did all this work fine on FC4 Skunk Workx.


>>
>> And why does input have what looks like headphones as icon?
>
> I think KDE extras are supported through their SIG...maybe they could 
> help with your design questions. Also kde.org
>
> http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/SIGs/KDE
> http://www.kde.org
>
>>
>> When I try the CLI command "alsamixer" instead
>> I get 19 (yes, 19) controls,
>> none of them properly labelled.
>> I see one called Mic, set to 0.
>> It isn't at all obvious how to change this, or any, setting,
>> but I go to the Mic icon with the right arrow key,
>> and then use the up arrow to go from 0 to 81.
>> Was that a good idea?
>
> Same here...see above. KDE is a third party/extras package set offered 
> as an alternative, not designed or implemented by RedHat or Fedora, 
> AFAIK.
>
>> I cannot tell, as I have no idea how to test the result.
>>
>> Is there a simple introduction to Fedora sound somewhere?
>>
>> When I get a new mobile phone, I take it out of the box,
>> put in a SIM card and it works.
>> There aren't 19 switches to adjust.
>>
>> I bought a DVD player yesterday.
>> I connect it to my TV with a Scart connector,
>> switch on and put in a DVD.
>> I am asked one question - do I want to play the DVD?
>> I answer Yes, and it plays.
>>
>> Sigh.
>>
>
> Regarding your DVD player and phone :
>
> 1) free?
> 2) designed and implemented by a worldwide network of people, often in 
> their spare time?
> 3) released on a 6-month development cycle?
> 4) have all the source code available?
>
> F7 does have a few regressions from what I can see. There are also a 
> lot of great things.
>
> The desktop and user switching in gnome, the livecd-tools...I am 
> looking forward to the updates that will fix a lot of issues over the 
> next few weeks.
>
> One thing Linux people like is being able to read about a new linux 
> feature on the web, then use it right away--whether it's a cool app or 
> service or whatever. Fedora offers that, at the price of some 
> instability.
>
> Note : I am just another end user with no affiliation to RedHat or 
> Fedora...please don't be frustrated with them over my post if it rubs 
> you the wrong way!
>
> ---
> John
>