But, Cecil, it's not a question of should or could, it's a question of is and does. Clearly, all synths rely on software, whether or not they're housed in the main computer or an auxiliary device. The point is how they interface to the principle computer, and what resources they require to function. To date it remains my quantified experience that those running on the host computer are less respectful of system resources. I guess it's something along the lines of software expanding to fill all available space. The issue is further exaserbated if one attempts to do any serious audio work while using a synth as one's interface device. At the moment, the quickest way to crash Gnopernicus is to try and launch an audio application like Beast or Gmorgan. Is that Gnopernicus fault? Or perhaps gnome-speech? Or perhaps Esd? Or perhaps Jack? I don't know, and neither does anyone else. The issue of appropriately handling multiple audio streams on Linux remains fluid and unresolved. On Windows things aren't much better as witnessed by all those messages in the MIDI-Mag archive about keeping the speech synthesizer out of the music. So, the theory is just that--theory. The facts are something else. Whitley CTR Cecil H writes: > From: Whitley CTR Cecil H <WhitleyCH.ctr at cherrypoint.usmc.mil> > > Hi, > I'm sorry, I can't buy into there being anything inheriently bad with > software synths. They actually provide an elegant solution. Even the > dectalk is at it's heart a software synth, it just runs on an external > computer all it's own. If I remember the specs, it's a 386 with a meg of > memory. If you can get that out of a 386, what should you be able to do > with one of the modern processors? > > Admittedly, the dectalk has some fancy DAC's..... But once again, they are > circa 1990.... Shouldn't todays technology be able to at least match it?? > After all, we're not talking tubes here. > > So in summary, I contend that with a modern processor and high end sound > hardware it should be possible to exceed "old" hardware synths in all > catagories. On the other hand, if you get my dectalk express you'll have to > pry it from my cold dead fingers..... > > Cecil > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup -- Janina Sajka Email: janina at rednote.net Phone: +1 (202) 408-8175 Director, Technology Research and Development American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) http://www.afb.org Chair, Accessibility Work Group Free Standards Group http://a11y.org
