# sndio vs oss support



## nickednamed (May 8, 2017)

How come many applications already support sndio, yet I rarely see oss compile-time options?


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## SirDice (May 9, 2017)

Probably because there are so many different OSS implementations, not all of them compatible. Even Linux before 2.4 had an OSS implementation until it got replaced with ALSA. Sndio is standardized, it's the same on all BSDs. Because it's the same for all BSDs it's easier for an application programmer to use it and not have to make dozens of exceptions in the code.


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## nickednamed (May 16, 2017)

Makes sense - I thought the various implementations would be compatible for some reason - but obviously that it not necessarily the case.

I'm not really familiar with sndio to any real extent, other than I may end up using it if FF-esr forces me to.

Do you think a case could be made for using it in the base system?


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