Wikipedia:Peer review/DirectShow/archive2

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DirectShow[edit]

Second peer review (first here). I had some insanely helpful suggestions the first time, which I believe I have taken care of. So, any comments are welcome - particularily is it sufficiently readable to the laymen-non-programmers and is the intro good/comprehensive enough? Thanks! Just another star in the night T | @ | C 08:11, 22 March 2006 (UTC)[reply]

  • Also, I should note there may be a bit of accidental POV because I've been trying weird things like trying to add some flair to the writing, which on a subject like this is tough :). Just another star in the night T | @ | C 19:32, 22 March 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • Some suggestions:
    • Examples is way too short (and plus is redundant since there is only one example). Perhaps the file should be linked to in either the external links or one of the sections like Design Model.
    • Remove personal pronouns referring to readers, such as in “if you want to do more custom things like”, “The way DirectShow works usually is that you create a filter graph
    • Add retrieval dates for all of the external links under the references
    • Is addon a word? Perhaps add-on?
    • “Mostly its only purpose at the time was to serve as a plugin” Mostly its only purpose? Either it is the only purpose, or it was mostly.
    • “Eventually, around version 5 of DirectX,” The article never mentioned DirectX before, so I have no idea whether or not this means around the time the 5th version of Direct X was created for ActiveMovie or something separate
    • Not necessary, but perhaps it would be helpful to convert the list under advantages to prose.
    • Some inline citations (footnotes) occur after the period/comma, others before. I would suggest changing all of them to right after the end of the word/period/comma (like is done on WP:FOOTNOTE).
    • “Unfortunately it is difficult to modify a graph that is already running.” Unfortunately? I don’t think such words occur regularly in Wikipedia (then again I could be wrong), sounds like you’re taking the WP:POV of DirectShow.
    • Could a year be provided for the start of the history section?
      • The problem is that while I can say Windows 3.0, getting the exact year is tricky because the early early history is slightly sketchy - I'll see what I can do. Just another star in the night T | @ | C 13:49, 3 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks, AndyZ 23:34, 22 March 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • generally much better, most of the article is beyond my knowledge to clearly comment; however, what still isnt' clear is how the framework by default treats different media formats. E.g. are Microsoft supported formats given preference over important standard formats such as .ogg? If I feed a basic DirectShow application a .MP3 will it behave any differently from an .ogg or a .aac? Mozzerati 20:05, 30 March 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • Well, filters are basically just plugins so it runs as well as the plugin is implemented (I.E. DirectShow uses the Windows registry and COM to find the .DLL to load) - now, since the default filters come with windows they probably are more integrated with the Windows API and theorectically could use more optimized internal calls that are not yet in the public DirectShow API - but I havn't found a reliable source that has speculated such a thing. It would be an interesting speculation, however. Just another star in the night T | @ | C 13:49, 3 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]