Fedora Rant #3 - why are the sound controls so weird?

[William Case]

Hi Timothy;

Can I hijack your Rant #3 and add something to it.

On Mon, 2005-08-15 at 04:45 -0400, fedora-list-request at redhat.com wrote:
> Ben Steeves wrote:
> > On 8/13/05, Timothy Murphy <tim at birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie> wrote:
> > 
> > 
> >>What a mess!

> I don't recall reading where he solicited help.
> 
> He said he was going to rant.
> 
> Mike

Sound and sound matters seem to be the least documented part of Linux.

I have checked out TLDP, ALSA and OSS sites; I have read all my manuals
plus some extra downloaded ones; I have read responses and asked
questions on three or four mailing lists and forums including LQ,
JustLinux, Fedora Forum, Fedora(RedHat) Bugzilla, Gnome Forum and my own
local Linux Users Group with no real joy.  I did get some things fixed
with help from this site -- thank you very much -- by button pushing
with no understanding of what I was doing or why.

Sound uses at least 4 devices (/dev/audio, /dev/dsp,
 /dev/mixer, /dev/sequencer) and /dev/snd (controlC0  midiC0D0  pcmC0D0c
pcmC0D0p  pcmC0D1p  seq  timer).  I counted 19 sound (snd_*) modules
loaded with the kernel, and 22 possible sound controls with amixer (18
with alsamixer).  I discovered a couple of configuration files.  I found
no bass or treble controls (but then I have cheap speakers).  I could
not find any overview or comprehensive explanation of what all these
things are for or why I may or may not want to use them.

I think Rant #3 is long overdue.

Regards Bill