OStatic

There is one universal truth in desktop computing, regardless of operating system: There are more music players out there than you'd be inclined to try (never mind use) on a regular basis. Some focus on the simpler, basic functions, and others strive for improved music and media management and delivery. A few of these players achieve their goals and gain a loyal user base. More fall short and get lost in the noise. New music players, then, need something distinctive (that's well developed and delivered) to draw new users, and keep them coming back.

Songbird is still in beta, but nearing the milestone 1.0 status. A few months ago, it showed promise, but not enough was there to be able to predict how much of that promise would translate into a strong application. The 0.7.0 beta release reveals more of Songbird's strengths, and suggests that the player is able to rise above the noise.

The Audacity audio editor is a great program. Take that as you will: It's truly functional software. It's a great illustration of the power and versatility of open source. Audacity has been an active project for some time. But because it provides an esoteric service, it was only recently I had reason to sit down and use it.

Due to microphone-support issues in Linux, and a Windows machine that has trouble with its own weight, never mind throwing sizable files in the mix, I've used Audacity 1.3.5 on two of the three supported platforms. There are differences in feature set-up, not function. After a learning curve of two hours came weeks of declaring my undying love for the project to anyone who'd listen.

You're likely already using open source applications for things like browsing the web, handling e-mail, and working with documents, even if you're on a Mac or Windows.

But have you ever thought of replacing your operating system's default music player with an open source alternative? If you're ready to do that, take a look at Songbird, an open source application built on the Mozilla platform.

Amazon turned quite a few heads when it announced that it would be entering the music download business by selling MP3s unencumbered by Digital Rights Management (DRM). Now Amazon is raising the stakes even further by offering its download client for Linux, in addition to the existing Mac OS X and Windows clients.

By dint of its openness and multiple platform support, users should really be looking to Amazon -- rather than Apple -- for their digital music needs.