From: Fred Maxwell <rockbox_at_anti-spam.org>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 08:37:03 -0400

Björn Stenberg wrote:


> Fred Maxwell wrote:
> > I will go a bit further and say that *anything* not directly related to
> > core audio player functionality should be a plug-in that one has to
> > *add*, not something that has to be actively removed.
>
> This is already the case today. Rockbox plugins are code that grabs the
> user interface and performs a single isolated task for the user. Such as a
> game, a text reader or a calendar.
>
> Speech is core interface code, similar in purpose to the code that draws
> text to the screen. It cannot be moved to a plugin, since it has to run in
> parallell with the menus and other core code.

Speech may be core interface code, but it is not "directly related to core
audio player functionality." It is an alternate user interface used by a
minority of users. It's like hand-controls in cars: They are great for
people whose legs are paralyzed, but I would not them part "core vehicle
functionality" -- nor would I require that they be installed in everyone's
car.

If someone were to make the Rockbox display music-synced video effects (ala
Windows Media Player), that would not be core audio player functionality --
even if it was impossible to accommodate it within the current plug-in
structure.

Please don't read this in the wrong light. I think that the Talkbox code is
a wonderful addition to the Rockbox, especially for blind users. I just
don't think that the code should only be in the players of those who
want/need it.

Regards,
  Fred Maxwell





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Received on 2004-04-28