> why not put the timing information inband? this would allow the timed > sound to be saved to a file also without 1.7mb of zeros.
The Plan 9 audio device data format is stereo, 16-bit little-endian PCM samples. Given that convention, my point was only that seeking in that kind of data stream does make a little bit of sense. The whole mail was about the power of working within and respecting existing conventions, not about redesigning the audio device. Others might choose different conventions in different situations. For example, I believe Nemo's Plan B audio device accepts MP3 format audio to reduce bandwidth requirements for sending audio to devices elsewhere on the network. The Plan 9 audio format has the benefit of being close to the native format for most hardware. As always, your own context dictates whether or not breaking established conventions is a good idea. Of course, the Sparc /dev/audio is not just a good idea: it's μ-law. Russ
