Hello Loïc,
On Thu, Dec 07, 2006 at 09:41:52AM +0100, Loïc Minier wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 06, 2006, Helge Kreutzmann wrote:
> > The main aim of
> > goobox is to play CDs on those systems where no direct link between
> > the CD drive and the audio hardware exists (like, e.g., on my ibook).
>
> Uh, I misparsed your email, on systems with *no* link. Well, that's
> what sound-juicer, rhythmbox and gnome-cd do AFAICT.
1. Feature comparison:
I could not get rhythmbox to "simply" play CDs. sound-juicer worked
fine on my ibook, I could not find a package for gnome-cd, though.
Comparing goobox and sound-juicer it appears to me as if they offer
roughly similar functionality, but goobox offers a some more
(parameters for ripping can be set using sliders, cd-covers are
fetched from the net, random play, looping, more buttons); I did not
compare the
ripping part in detail, though. sound-juicer uses less screen estate.
And there are users for goobox, though according to popcon
sound-juicer is vastly more popular.
2. Alternate options:
As I see, goobox would be the only application in Debian left using
gstreamer-0.8. So, going along[1], a possible solution would be to
drop everything in gstreamer-0.8 not needed for goobox and thus
removing the load for the security team in Etch. Even better would
be a patch to update goobox to -0.10. I looked at the patch for
teatime and the porting information on the gstreamer site, but I am
afraid that I cannot do this in the short time frame required. This
would be a perfect "release goal" for Lenny, though. I also
contacted upstream about this issue, but you are right, maybe
upstream has lost intrest in goobox as well (my last emails did not
trigger replies).
[1] http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2006/12/msg00241.html
3. Possible solutions:
a) gstreamer-0.8 is removed completely from Debian, effectivly
killing goobox.
b) gstreamer-0.8 is removed completely from Etch, effectivly
removing goobox as well. This would be suboptimal for our users.
c) a scheme as mentioned in 2. is implemented, keeping goobox in
Etch with a release goal for Lenny to completely drop
gstreamer-0.8, supplying me as the co-maintainer some sufficient
time to either work on this issue or prod sound-juicer to
implement the differences.
I guess it is also up to the RMs and the security team to decide which
option would be acceptable. If they decide for a) or b) and I don't
get a patch (from upstream) then yes, probably goobox has to go as
well.
4. Procedural notes:
I have and am investigating some efforts into goobox (e.g. also
translation updates). So I would have expected such drastic
removal requests like other transitions: First a wishlist bug *early in
the release cycle* with the information available, e.g. links to
transition guides, offers for help or patches, if available. Then a
few month time for the maintainer to work on
transitioning/coordinating with upstream. Then now would have been
the time to upgrade this request to serious and cloing it to
ftp.debian.org. Sending this initial request on
"short notice" (still no bug in the BTS!), two weeks before
Christmas and similar a few weeks before release is not very
friendly.
Please keep me in the loop when replying, I am not subscribed to
debian-devel.
Greetings
Helge
--
Dr. Helge Kreutzmann debian@helgefjell.de
Dipl.-Phys. http://www.helgefjell.de/debian.php
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