Cpvr
Rookie Contributor
The iconic Winamp media player has delivered on a promise made in May by releasing its full source code on GitHub, inviting developers to contribute to the project.
Originally launched in 1997 by Nullsoft, Winamp quickly rose to prominence alongside the MP3 music revolution. It became known for its customizable interface, support for a wide range of audio formats, visualizations, skins, and the ability to stream internet radio and podcasts. After being acquired by AOL, Winamp’s development slowed, and the player was officially discontinued in 2013.
In 2014, Radionomy acquired Winamp with plans to revive it, but it struggled to recapture its former success as the music landscape shifted to streaming platforms. In May 2024, the Winamp team announced their intention to release the source code on September 24, marking nearly three decades since the player's debut.
As of yesterday, Winamp's source code, build tools, and related libraries for the Windows version have been published on GitHub, allowing developers to contribute bug fixes and new features. However, the license for the source code restricts the distribution of modified versions created from this release.
By releasing the source code, Winamp’s team is encouraging collaboration from the developer community to enhance the media player. The GitHub page notes, "Winamp, launched in 1997, is renowned for its flexibility and broad audio format support. Though development slowed over time, the open-source release invites the community to modernize the player for today's users."
While Winamp’s code is outdated, relying on DirectX 9 SDK, the community now has the opportunity to update it using newer technologies. The nostalgia and fond memories many have of Winamp during the early days of digital music make this release a significant moment.
Just 24 hours after the release, the Winamp GitHub repository has already gained 2,500 stars and 600 forks, highlighting the enthusiasm surrounding this classic media player.
Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...ce-code-asks-for-help-modernizing-the-player/
Originally launched in 1997 by Nullsoft, Winamp quickly rose to prominence alongside the MP3 music revolution. It became known for its customizable interface, support for a wide range of audio formats, visualizations, skins, and the ability to stream internet radio and podcasts. After being acquired by AOL, Winamp’s development slowed, and the player was officially discontinued in 2013.
In 2014, Radionomy acquired Winamp with plans to revive it, but it struggled to recapture its former success as the music landscape shifted to streaming platforms. In May 2024, the Winamp team announced their intention to release the source code on September 24, marking nearly three decades since the player's debut.
As of yesterday, Winamp's source code, build tools, and related libraries for the Windows version have been published on GitHub, allowing developers to contribute bug fixes and new features. However, the license for the source code restricts the distribution of modified versions created from this release.
By releasing the source code, Winamp’s team is encouraging collaboration from the developer community to enhance the media player. The GitHub page notes, "Winamp, launched in 1997, is renowned for its flexibility and broad audio format support. Though development slowed over time, the open-source release invites the community to modernize the player for today's users."
While Winamp’s code is outdated, relying on DirectX 9 SDK, the community now has the opportunity to update it using newer technologies. The nostalgia and fond memories many have of Winamp during the early days of digital music make this release a significant moment.
Just 24 hours after the release, the Winamp GitHub repository has already gained 2,500 stars and 600 forks, highlighting the enthusiasm surrounding this classic media player.
Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...ce-code-asks-for-help-modernizing-the-player/
