Path: csiph.com!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Joel Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy,comp.os.linux.misc,alt.os.linux Subject: Re: Why All Software Should Be Open Source Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:39:33 -0400 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 62 Message-ID: <2oeggjp024n8i14f7fc6f7om4e2beuj4aa@4ax.com> References: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Injection-Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2024 22:39:34 +0200 (CEST) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="32050cca9fe1ad24f31d01efd2729fa5"; logging-data="3472935"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19dFIBAL2IJZApysJAqaarl2FqL3iH6spE=" User-Agent: ForteAgent/8.00.32.1272 Cancel-Lock: sha1:g24PDMCa8WCQY/yvRJwtXTom+is= OS: openSUSE Leap 15.6, with Wine 9.0 for WinAPI Xref: csiph.com comp.os.linux.advocacy:673142 comp.os.linux.misc:59287 alt.os.linux:80609 bad sector wrote: >On 10/10/24 15:25, Lester Thorpe wrote: > >> At times I am involved with computer generated music using MIDI. >> >> To create such music, a "soundfont" is required, and many soundfonts >> are distributed as compressed SF2 format files. >> >> To uncompress these files there are only two utilities available >> (both Windoze): >> >> sfArk: ???? >> >> SFPack: http://www.personalcopy.com/bigsounds.html >> >> Fortunately, the SFPack decompressor is still available although >> it is no longer (since 2007) being maintained. >> >> Good luck finding an sfArk decompressor, however. Unless one had >> acquired the file a long time ago it no longer can be found on the Web. >> >> Fortunately (but perhaps not), a GNU/Linux version of the sfArk >> decompressor is found here: >> >> https://github.com/raboof/sfarkxtc >> >> Unfortunately, this FOSS version is for sfArk version 2 and >> a LOT of soundfonts exist as version 1. >> >> I have Windoze copies of both sfArk and SFPack but how long these >> will be able to execute is uncertain. Thus, collections of SF2 >> soundfonts everywhere will become FUBAR. >> >> This is just one small, but highly important, example of why >> all software should be open source. As long as the source code >> is available somewhere there will be no obsolescence. > >The survival of society cannot be left to bean-counters so anything that >is essential infrastructure should be cost + $1 if not free (state run >in other words). Just where what parts of computing or IT would fit in >there I'll leave to others but schools should definitely teach Linux >instead of how to boot dumbdose screaming "look ma' no hands". Once you >get the basic skills into the public at large you get the rest too. You think so? -- Joel W. Crump Amendment XIV Section 1. [...] No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Dobbs rewrites this, it is invalid precedent. States are liable for denying needed abortions, e.g. TX.