Songbird drops Linux
p2pnet view Open Source | Music | P2P:- “Songbird is built by a group of designers and developers that have previously worked on Winamp, Netscape Navigator, and Mozilla Firefox. We are committed to providing extraordinary experiences for users, around all forms of media, with the freedom and access that brings the coolest stuff on the web to you.
“At Songbird, we’re ready for the future of music. ”
Unless the future includes Linux, apparently.
The quote in the intro comes from the Songbird ‘About‘ and section. But, “Songbird is now abandoning its Linux product, and instead is focusing on the Windows and Mac versions only”, TestFreaks points out.
“According to Songbird developers Pioneers of The Inevitable (POTI Inc.), they have limited resources and need to put focus where it makes the most sense”, says the story, quoting a post on the POTI blog as stating >>>
After careful consideration, we’ve come to the painful conclusion that we should discontinue support for the Linux version of Songbird.
Some of you may wonder how a company with deep roots in Open Source could drop Linux and we want you to know it isn’t without heartache. We have a small engineering team here at Songbird, and, more than ever, must stay very focused on a narrow set of priorities.
Nor is Songbird alone.
Sony recently said it’s pulling Linux support from Play Station 3, said p2pnet.
“The next system software update for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) system will be released on April 1, 2010 (JST), and will disable the ‘Install Other OS’ feature that was available on the PS3 systems prior to the current slimmer models, launched in September 2009″ said the company’s Patrick Seybold on the on the PlayStation blog, going on:
“This feature enabled users to install an operating system, but due to security concerns, Sony Computer Entertainment will remove the functionality through the 3.21 system software update.”
But, “the real reason is that maintaining the HyperVisor drivers through each firmware update was costing a bomb” says TechEye, going on:
“Microsoft has dropped Linux from its Enterprise Search product, although many open sourcers would have been surprised that Redmond supported the OS in the first place.
“But the question might be whether cracks are starting to appear in the Linux model.”
Says TestFreaks >>>
While a team of analysts could look at the data and circumstances regarding the Linux drops and no doubt come to varying conclusions, I can spare that expense and instead offer my own insight. To put it in a nutshell, in tough times people are not so willing to work for free.
Support for desktop Linux from major releases has almost been an afterthought. Usually a product has a customer base (and turning a profit) before it is ported to the other OS. In today’s times, companies are looking hard at the bottom line, and they are apparently not seeing the returns in either financial or intellectual properties from the Linux world.
But, “While no doubt the biggest response from the Linux community will include a dismissal of Songbird as a capable product (Philips apparently has a different opinion), the time might be better spent looking at the circumstances for the move”, it states, adding:
“Failure to do so may end up hurting the Linux movement long term, just when we will need alternatives the most.”
..… and identi.ca
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
TestFreaks – Open Source Songbird Drops Linux: A Sign Of Things To Come?, April 6, 2010
p2pnet – Sony dumps Linux for PlayStation 3, March 30, 2010
PlayStation blog – PS3 Firmware (v3.21) Update, March 28, 2010
TechEye – Open Source outfit snubs Linux, April 9, 2010
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April 9th, 2010 at 11:17 am
From what I read there really is no comparison between the two. Sony dropped linux support, meaning you could can’t install outside operating systems at all. Songbird isn’t releasing a linux version anymore HOWEVER their software is open source, so if the linux community really wants it some programmer will release a version that works on linux.
http://getsatisfaction.com/songbird/topics/is_songbird_open_source
http://getsatisfaction.com/songbird/topics/help_finding_songbird_source_code_please
April 9th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
I know it’s not a representative sample, but all the developers I’ve talked to have more or less said “good riddance to bad rubbish” with varying degrees of seriousness. Aside from the tendency I’ve noticed for programmers to prefer minimalist UIs on their music players, Songbird has always seen complaints like “You know you’ve picked the wrong music player when you need to install an ad blocker”, “Even Firefox isn’t really a justification for having Gecko on my system”, “If I wanted a media-player in a browser, I’d use a web-based client for MPD (Music Player Daemon)”, or “I’ll stick with XMMS/Audacious/etc. so I can play my chiptunes”.
April 9th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
(Continued because I forgot two points I initially meant to make)
1. Generally, the complaints about Gecko are because it’s a heavy engine and XUL based GUIs just make it worse. (To illustrate via hyperbole, people don’t want their MP3 player to require its own processor core)
2. I’m guessing that, given the sentiment I’ve found in all the devs I know, Songbird is dropping Linux support because nobody with programming skill is willing to put in the effort. (ie. The community has decided there are already enough iTunes-like players in Amarok, Rhythmbox, and the handful of one-man projects)