multimedia and 2.2

[Jorn Baayen <jorn nl linux org>]

Hi,

Seeing the current multimedia mess I think it's not feasible to have
full multimedia included in 2.2 (1.5 months to the freeze, apaprantly).
This will just result in hurries, too early API freezes and not well
thought APIs (BonoboUI for example, sorry Michael...), immature apps
being shipped, UI inconsistencies, etc etc. IMHO we'd be a lot more safe
targetting 2.4, we'd have all the time to sort things out properly.

On a related note, I would also like to stress again and again that we
*really* need to standardise on a higher level media API.

Having multiple is *EVIL*. Reasons:
- Code duplication. Most notably the videowidget will have to be
duplicated.
- Two different APIs doing the same thing and being incompatible with
each other is just frustrating. (This one does this, and the other that
but i need both. What do I do now?)
- Consistency for the user. Sure, in theory you can make behave the two
the same. But this just does not work as practice shows (look at my
bonoboui/gtk example below). Maintainers will end up disagreeing,
lagging behind each other, etc etc.

Look at bonoboui and gtk toolbar/menu stuff - two entirely different
APIs doing more or less the same job, but not behaving the same to the
user (different look, and they behave different as well. Bad bad bad!)!
In theory they should, but it just does not happen because of lack of
proper communication/too early API freezes/disagreements etc.
Improvements are very much hampered by the API freeze. It's really
essential to get stuff good before a freeze, IMHO.

Flame back! ;)

Cheers
Jorn