On Sunday 28 November 2010 12:48:38 Jan Steffens wrote: > Note that as far as I know, phonon is an abstraction API with similar > functionality like GStreamer, not PulseAudio. Yes indeed, that's my understanding too. Anyway, thanks Jan - I can report that I'm using KDE, VLC etc. without pulse and everything seems fine. This kind of separation and choice is one of the reasons why I really like Arch. Good work :-) As an aside... On Sunday 28 November 2010 10:11:12 Χρήστος Κώτσαρης wrote: > In any case, Linux/GNU needs pulseaudio. Pulseaudio should be the api to > target for all apps. The kind of functionality it provides it is needed if > modern distros are to compete with Windows 7. Windows 7 now provide the > functionality to switch sound cards on the fly without restaring the app > playing sound. Personally speaking, I can honestly say that I've never even considered this functionality. And I for one don't think that Arch's aims are (nor should be) to just try to keep up with Microsoft's bloat. Have it as an option for those that want this, by all means, but Arch way beats Windows 7 in pretty much every criteria I have. Pete.