VLC Mac OS X Framework implementation
Google Summer of Code 2007

Last updated march 24, 2007

Proposition

Write a Cocoa Mac OS X (and possibly GNUStep) Framework that would serve as a foundation to the 2 differents Mac OS X VLC binaries.

Those binaries are the standard VLC.app executable, and the VLC web browser plugin.

This Framework could also be used as a library for other applications that need a video output.

I intend to have this Mac OS X framework's interface to closely match libvlc interface, modifying libvlc if needed.

Expected side effects

VLC Mac OS X Specific:

Make the Mac OS X code more readable, easier to maintain.
Ease the addition of cool new features to the Mac OS X product, and thus help to make VLC a killer-app for Mac.
Implement some nifty Leopard effects, that would trigger a "Woaw" effect to users.

VLC general:

Bug hunting in VLC's core.
Improvements to libvlc.
Implementation of (or improvement to) nice features for all platforms (Win32/Linux/...) the framework would need such as cover art.
Help developers interest in VLC by making its core easily usable in really different context.

Why did I choose to work on this project

I believe VLC has to become a killer-app. And I strongly believe my knowledge of the Mac universe could help VLC to become the Mac OS X video player of choice making it a first class citizen in the Mac OS X world.

Revamping the Mac OS X core should help to improve my knowledge in VLC, and feel more comfortable in bringing a good end user experience to VLC Mac OS X Users.

Planning

Specification of the framework
- What should the framework encapsulate (vout, access, playlist, ...)
- Would current VLC be able to work with the object defined?
- Is there any simplification possible?
- What changes to libvlc are needed?
- How to ensure the quality of the product, how should I stress the framework?
Write some sample code that would use the framework, and would serve both as test for the framework and a showcase for third party developers
Implementation of the framework
Make VLC.app and web browser plugin uses the framework

About myself

My name is Pierre d'Herbemont. We are in 2007 and I am 21. I am a first year student in the French engineering school Centrale Paris, which gave birth to VideoLan by the way ;-)

Here is a list of things I have been doing:

2004-2007	Creation of the darwin-user mode for QEMU. Original announcement, qemu-darwin-user Wiki.
2006	Creation of a genetic algorithm to optimize a bayesian filter (school project)
2005	Implementation of a bayesien Spam filter (school project)
2003-2004	Mac OS X QEMU Port. Original announcement
2002-2003	Mac OS X/ppc Wine Port. Original announcement
2002	Make Darwin (Mac OS X kernel) supports the Macintosh 6400. My page about the 6400 & Mac OS X
2001	Worked on Dynamics a fractals visualization program developed by Richard Koch.

I have been working on Wine, QEMU and more recently VLC , of which I am now commit-ter!