Combined Framework(s) (was: Re: GNUstep installation - a 'Newbie' question)

[Chris B. Vetter]

On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 23:14:40 +0200
Martin Brecher <martin@mb-itconsulting.com> wrote:
> |>I further imagine doing an apt-get (or some other package manager)
> |>that installs GNUstep *including all the dependent libraries*, plus
> |>a suitable window manager *from sources* (! so we are architecture
> |>independent).
> Apart from the fact that it is relatively easy to compile GNUstep apps
> yourself, I can imagine a gnustep-specific distribution system based
> on lspm (the Linuxstep package manager) for everything except the base
> libraries. I.e. lspm either gets the fitting binary for your system or
> downloads the source and compiles everything for you. Without the
> dependency on the os/distribution suppliers.

It's relatively easy for you and the rest of us, but I wouldn't want my
dad have to worry about how to do it, especially not core/.

Apart from that, and not really related...

I've been browsing through a bunch of applications last weekend and
noticed that there are quite a few that offer similar functions, each
with some goodies not available in others.

For example there are now quite a few CD/music/sound players available,
but they all depend on different external libraries for sound.
In addition, GNUstep's core/ already "requires" (ok, ok, not really a
requirement) that libaudiofile is installed.

I was wondering if there was a notion to create a combined framework for
playing sound, music, whatever (yes, I'm aware of SndKit, but AFAIK it
only plays SND and AU and porting to GNUstep has just begun) that would
offer a specified API and functionality and would make installation of
twenty different sound libraries, one per application, obsolete.
You know, something similar to 3DKit, but for sound/music.

Just wondering, as I don't know nothing about sound programming, but I
hate to rely on external libraries, that may require a sluagh of
additional dependencies...

-- 
Chris