I suggest Volumio creates a Volumio-L version…ie Lite version.
Lite version is just a basic player with the ability to add url from streaming. No bells and whistles, just bare-bones BUT ROCK SOLID.
Basically a player that is 100% or as near as possible robust.
Realizing that with every feature added the possibility of something ‘going wrong’ ie a bug increases.
This is something that I would appreciate very much - A lite version that is a pure local player without any gimicks around !
But: Everbody would like to have the focus on different functions and has therefore a different opinion what a lite version should include.
This is the simple reason why every software project generates a lot of overkill - the older it gets. Volumio is no exception to this rule, and I fear it never will be !
Sure as software ages it does seek to expand its user base. All too often this means new features. However sometimes adding new features just opens up a can of worms of more bugs and headaches. Sometimes it turns into a vicious cycle, with a desire to add stuff, which in tern causes you to fix stuff.
I remember when Foobar2000 was just a simple player, it grew into a monster of a player too with add-ons up the wazoo.
Basically I’m just talking about a stripped down base of Linux + MPD + GUI = Volumio-L
The ability to play from a hard-drive and URL’s already exist with MPD, just leave it as-is, it works and is very robust. Debian is also robust and serves well as an ‘appliance’.
In fact it will probably be so robust that you can call it a RC then just release it as Version 1.0. Leave the Volumio will all the bells and whistles as a beta/playground.
Case in point; I downloaded Volumio today and installed the Spotify plugin. It finished the install and for some reason decided to reboot. I remember it would just install and you would close the window then set it up. But this time it rebooted or should I say “shut down” because it did not boot back up. I had to go unplug it and plug it back it to force it to boot up again.
Edit:
So I unplug it and plug it back in…I see Volumio on the network with the same IP, but I’m not able to access via my web browser.
If anyone else wants a more solid, bug-free version of Volumio you need to post your thoughts here…
MPD supports all Internet radio streams naively so listening to your collection and Internet radio should cover 90% of your music listening needs.
Debian is rock solid and so is MPD…this rock solid duo should be the foundation.
How about even a ‘released’ version of Volumio with this scheme…leaving the beta for all the bells and whistles. The user base can refine, test and improve the extra functions. If and when they become stable enough move it into the released version.
Five years in Beta is long enough… 