Winamp’s Source Code Frustrates Community with Amateurish Flaws

Winamp, once a beloved name in the media player market, has recently undergone some transformations. The company that owns the rights to Winamp, Llama Group, decided to give back to the community by releasing the original source code of Winamp on September 24th. This move allows developers to contribute their knowledge, ideas, and passion to the latest publicly available version of Winamp.

As promised, the final version of Winamp’s source code was officially made available on GitHub on September 24th. However, this release has sparked some controversy within the community. Firstly, the code was released under the “Winamp Collaborative License (WCL) Version 1.0.1,” which prohibits the distribution of modified versions of the software. This goes against the original intention of releasing the code and has upset many users. The original version of the license was even more restrictive, preventing users from forking the code within GitHub, a measure that many believe violates the platform’s terms.

The license also states that only the official and original repository can distribute the software and its modifications. However, this has not been followed, as there are currently over 2600 forks of the code.

But that’s not all. The code appears to have been released by someone with limited programming knowledge or familiarity with GitHub. There are several flaws that not only violate the platform’s terms but also the licenses of other software. For example, the code includes proprietary Dolby Digital files, clearly marked as confidential and not intended for public release. Even the Shoutcast source code, which is sensitive and proprietary, has been made available.

To make matters worse, instead of properly removing the content, the owner of the Winamp GitHub repository simply deleted it, leaving it fully visible in the list of changes on the platform.

This situation has left the community frustrated, calling for the company to make the repository private, address all the outstanding issues, and then provide the code in a clean and proper manner. However, it seems that these recommendations are not being followed, as the repository remains fully accessible on GitHub with all its flaws.

Many consider this to be one of the worst repositories on the platform due to the haphazard release of the code, amateurish mistakes, and inappropriate use of the platform.