[pulseaudio-discuss] using pulseaudio with simultaneous playback from mutiple X sessions

[Ben Bucksch]

On 07.11.2011 19:59, Maarten Bosmans wrote:
> I would load module-protocol-native-tcp with ip-acl=127.0.0.1.
> Then for other users set PULSE_SERVER=localhost.

Yes, that's what I recommended a friend, too.
Problem is: which pulse server is the main one and which one connects? 
Any user can log in first.

Also, what do you do in cases of e.g. mpd running as daemon (by design) 
and needing to output sound, and GNOME running on the same machine. Note 
that a lot of pulseaudio depends on an active X11 session, including the 
dbus stuff, and bails if there isn't.

Also note that many of the official disclaimers / stated problems of the 
system-wide solution apply when you enable a network port and do stuff 
as you suggest.

May I recommend to officially support the system-wide solution and make 
it work well? I don't see another solution for multi-user systems and 
daemons.

> This recording thing is, among other things, one of the reasons
> multiple users aren't allowed to connect to eachothers pulse daemon by
> default.

Exactly. But Martin and me now stated a few usecases where this is 
*needed*. Saying "it's not recommended" and "yes, we know it's insecure" 
doesn't solve the actual problem. If that's the result of the design, 
then the design is obviously wrong and needs to be revised.

Please note: I am a fan of pulse, since several years. But I have a 
really hard stance defending it.

Ben