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Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

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Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#161

Post by cageface »

blasdel wrote: post #156
angus77 wrote: post #39

Is there an advantage to this for someone who owns no Apple products and has no iTunes account? EDIT: Looking at http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless_compa... it looks like the only clear advantage ALAC has is iTunes/iDevice support. FLAC has faster encoding/decoding speeds, and it's unknown if ALAC has error handling (which FLAC has). FLAC also supports RIFF chunks, has pipe support and is ReplayGa…

When I was comparing them years ago I found that a lot of FLAC implementations had a lot of trouble with seeking properly, skipping to the wrong spot and then reporting a third spot as the current timecode. Then you have the metadata problem — ALAC is in a normal mp4 container so everything's uniform and well-used, with FLAC you're stuck with the ogg container or its proprietary system. That wouldn't be so bad, excep…

I haven't found that to be the case at all. All the FLAC files I've purchased have proper FLAC tags, often including cover art. I've never had problems with FLAC seeking at all.

Better still, FLAC provides excellent command-line tools for encoding, decoding and tagging so I can script batch operations easily. I'm not aware of anything similar for ALAC. Maybe with the codec in the open these tools will emerge?

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#162

Post by Someone »

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #143
Anechoic wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

DRM was never a consideration for ALAC since Apple never sold tracks in ALAC. My understanding was that Apple developed ALAC instread of using FLAC because they were concerned about possible patent problems with FLAC.

I heard the same theory about patents but after they reversed engineered it, the creator of FLAC pointed out it was effectively a superset of his codec, so any patent affecting FLAC would impact ALAC too, they'd only increased their exposure to patents. Other theories included better PPC support, and better designed to be decoded in low power hardware like the Airport Express. To be honest some combination of NIH syn…

I do not understand how ALAC can be both:

- effectively a superset of FLAC

- better designed to be decoded in low power hardware

Can you explain?

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#163

Post by losethos »

I wanted a raw sound format for LoseThos that could be imported into movie maker. The .SND format is raw, uncompressed. It's trivial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Au_file_format

It's big endian.

The CIA or somebody limited it to 8000Hz. They do shit like that.

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#164

Post by sbuk »

jhuni wrote: post #151
kahawe wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Paul Graham (the creator of this site) commented on the App Store himself, and his words were not entirely of ignorant praise like yours are And you will find just as many people who love the app store oh and 18,000,000,000+ downloads and counting should nicely prove those 2 year old prophecies wrong.

The fact is Apple's reputation has been permanently tarnished in the face of developers, including PG. Even today, Apple uses very restrictive license agreements in the appstore. Here is a full explanation of their licensing restrictions from 2010, feel free to provide more up to date information: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/03/iphone-developer-progr...

Resorting to ad verecundiam doesn't prove or disprove your point either way. It's just an opinion.

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#165

Post by myspy »

jhuni wrote: post #152
myspy wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are a pretty big fool, believing Apple is to blame for pricing in the iTunes Store. The content providers set the prices, not Apple. They just distribute and take a small share. And how is Apple dominating my computer? I have no clue what you mean.

You are a pretty big fool, believing Apple is to blame for pricing in the iTunes Store. The content providers set the prices, not Apple. I didn't say Apple personally set the prices, I just stated that Apple's business model is dependent upon blockbuster hits. Google's business model, on the other hand, is dependent upon advertisements. And how is Apple dominating my computer? I have no clue what you mean. I am not s…

Now I see what you mean, but I wouldn't say your source is reliable. I can see where your opinion comes from, but you should consider more sources.

Most of those points are either incorrect or don't take into account what the goal of all companies on this planet is. Making money.

Ideology is good for yourself but won't feed you or buy you a house. A middle ground is the way to go.

And Apples middle ground is quality products with proprietary software. You can't control the quality of your products, when opening it up to the competition (Palm Pre).

As some said before Google does this too. You won't get their search engine code, nor will Apple give you iOS.

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#166

Post by kahawe »

jhuni wrote: post #151
kahawe wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Paul Graham (the creator of this site) commented on the App Store himself, and his words were not entirely of ignorant praise like yours are And you will find just as many people who love the app store oh and 18,000,000,000+ downloads and counting should nicely prove those 2 year old prophecies wrong.

The fact is Apple's reputation has been permanently tarnished in the face of developers, including PG. Even today, Apple uses very restrictive license agreements in the appstore. Here is a full explanation of their licensing restrictions from 2010, feel free to provide more up to date information: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/03/iphone-developer-progr...

hahaha I don't know which developers you are talking about, just look at the numbers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)#Milestones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AppleAppStoreStatistics.pn...

And just because PG said something doesn't dispute the overwhelming success of the app store and the itunes store. There were just as allegedly "legendary" and allegedly "influential" (seriously, what influence and importance does PG really have outside of the smug cloud of valley startups? None to zero) people who said there will be a maximum of 5 to 6 computers around the world and the internet is completely useless. So, again, this does not an argument or a point make. The numbers prove it wrong. Just because someone says it has no relevance. Useless ad verecundiam right here.

If anything, Apple was incredibly smart about how and where they put the shackles on so most customers will happily accept the platform as it is. Ultimately, most people just care about the fact that it works and Apple continues to deliver on that front.

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#167

Post by jhuni »

sbuk wrote: post #164
jhuni wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact is Apple's reputation has been permanently tarnished in the face of developers, including PG. Even today, Apple uses very restrictive license agreements in the appstore. Here is a full explanation of their licensing restrictions from 2010, feel free to provide more up to date information: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/03/iphone-developer-progr...

Resorting to ad verecundiam doesn't prove or disprove your point either way. It's just an opinion.

Before you blame me for argument for authority, notice that rolfd's post is already ridiculously exaggerated because he said "it has an unbelievable positive impact."

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#168

Post by jhuni »

myspy wrote: post #165
jhuni wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are a pretty big fool, believing Apple is to blame for pricing in the iTunes Store. The content providers set the prices, not Apple. I didn't say Apple personally set the prices, I just stated that Apple's business model is dependent upon blockbuster hits. Google's business model, on the other hand, is dependent upon advertisements. And how is Apple dominating my computer? I have no clue what you mean. I am not s…

Now I see what you mean, but I wouldn't say your source is reliable. I can see where your opinion comes from, but you should consider more sources. Most of those points are either incorrect or don't take into account what the goal of all companies on this planet is. Making money. Ideology is good for yourself but won't feed you or buy you a house. A middle ground is the way to go. And Apples middle ground is quality…

Apple won't give me iOS, yet Google will give me more then enough of Android.

Google FTW. I rest my case.

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#169

Post by jhuni »

kahawe wrote: post #166
jhuni wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact is Apple's reputation has been permanently tarnished in the face of developers, including PG. Even today, Apple uses very restrictive license agreements in the appstore. Here is a full explanation of their licensing restrictions from 2010, feel free to provide more up to date information: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/03/iphone-developer-progr...

hahaha I don't know which developers you are talking about, just look at the numbers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)#Milestones http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AppleAppStoreStatistics.pn... And just because PG said something doesn't dispute the overwhelming success of the app store and the itunes store. There were just as allegedly "legendary" and allegedly "influential" (seriously, what influence and…

First of all, where are the applications in Google search? You just type in what you want, and the system uses AI to provide you with an answer. The fact that you can do that without having to think about millions of arbitrary applications is largely why it is so great. The fact is that people don't have an intuitive understanding of applications like "iTunes" they just have ideas of tasks like "listen to music." So I think the very idea of applications is flawed to begin with, and all applications will be made obsolete by a smart AI services, namely Google search.

Then there is the issue of over pricing these applications, when they could be free, which means that lots of people that are poor cannot acquire them.

But that isn't enough, behind the scenes, Apple has been screwing over developers with shackling licenses that I linked to above, and I don't care if they have been "incredibly smart" about how they have been screwing us over, they have still been doing it.

Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec is now open source (Apache license)

#170

Post by sbuk »

jhuni wrote: post #167
sbuk wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Resorting to ad verecundiam doesn't prove or disprove your point either way. It's just an opinion.

Before you blame me for argument for authority, notice that rolfd's post is already ridiculously exaggerated because he said "it has an unbelievable positive impact."

Tu quoque fallacies are just as bad. Anyone using emotive words or unnecessary superlatives undermine the point they are attempting to make.
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