[vorbis] Why FLAC, why not MAC? [Off-Topic]

[Nescafe]

John wrote :
> > It [MAC] seems to be Windows only though.
> >
> Well, that rules it out for a start.  I wouldn't gamble my data with
> Microsoft, cripple myself with their interface, frustrate myself with
> their slowness, enslave myself with their formats or impoverish myself
> with their prices.

I wrote :
> Yeah, and you wouldn't either use "their"
> way-better-lossless-audio-codec.
> Vorbis owns both MP3 and WMA, but it seems that MAC owns FLAC.

Josh wrote :
> Please explain why "MAC owns FLAC", using facts.  I'm always
> looking for ways to improve FLAC.

Damn, I really didn't want to hurt anyone, and certainly not FLAC
developpers. John's great slogan about Microsoft being shit just made me mad
: it all started about which was better, MAC or FLAC, and all he has to say
is that "MAC is Windows, Windows suxx, then MAC suxx too, all closed-source
suxx and open-source ownz"... Great arguments. Please, don't blame Microsoft
for MAC, it has nothing to do together, plus Microsoft (the company) isn't
Windows (the OS).

On a developper point of view, I pretty am convinced open-source is simply
the best way to have as many people as possible working on improving your
initial piece of crap and making it top of the world. Imagine if Vorbis was
closed, developped a few : Would have it gone any better than years-ago's
192kbps sounding almost as good as 128kbps MP3 ?

On a user point of view, think of software as a magic string of bits running
through microchips. Take away any evil licensing rules, and you just have a
tool you don't even care how it was designed, you just use it ! Imagine a
talented digital-artist. Would his job be better with GIMP or PhotoShop ?
You'd be a fool if you even tried to answer this question, I for sure don't
know. It's just a tool. The same goes for audio compression : Does it fit
your needs ? Yes, use it ! No, get rid of it !

At the very beginning, CH4R1ie wrote :
> Why do some of you use FLAC for lossless encoding? I've done some
> test and MAC filesizes were always smaller. I don't seem to see what
> the problem is.

As I said, I think it simply depends on your philosophy about both software
and the use of compression. Would you ignore a brilliant codec just because
it is closed-source ? You may, I just wouldn't, but as I said, it depends on
your point of view. Would you care about decompression time for a lossless
codec ? I would if I had to uncompress it frequently. For archival purpose,
I guess I would look forward to the smallest filesize, whatever the
processing cost.

By the way, MAC has a winamp plugin so I think it can achieve realtime on
most personnal computers. On the other side, I guess on specific hardware
FLAC would be a better choice because of its open-source nature and fast
decoding.

It all depends on your point of view : if closed-source is better for your
use than open-source, then use it !

This email was written using Outlook Express, I use Windows at home, Solaris
and KDE at school, I download MP3s and rip to Vorbis, I use Emacs and GCC
but I tend to prefer VC++, I use libvorbis and play Counter-Strike, phpBB
and IExplore... Man, developping with open-source is nice, using with both
open and closed-source is fine too.

Nescafe
- Excuse my bad english, I after all just am a french guy

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