Winamp, the iconic music player from the late 90s, has made its original source code open source and available on GitHub. This move fulfills a promise made by its current owner, Llama Group, following the launch of a new mobile version.
History and Evolution
Origins: Launched in 1997 by Nullsoft, Winamp quickly gained popularity for its MP3 playback capabilities and extensive customization options. The player became a staple for music enthusiasts during the early days of digital music.Ownership Changes: AOL acquired Winamp in 1999, maintaining ownership until 2014. Subsequently, Radionomy purchased the rights, saving it from obsolescence.
Recent Developments
Mobile App: In summer 2024, a completely new Winamp mobile application was released, sharing only the name and music playback functionality with its predecessor.Open Source Release: The original Windows version’s source code is now available on GitHub, including developer tools and associated libraries.
Impact of Open Source
Community Engagement:
- Encourages nostalgia and potential revival of the classic player
- Allows for community-driven improvements and modifications
- Garnered significant interest with 4.6k stars and 1.1k forks on GitHub within days of release
Licensing Considerations:
- Modifications are allowed under the open source license
- Distribution of modified software and use of Winamp’s trademark are restricted
Future Prospects
Alexandre Saboundjian, Winamp’s director, emphasized the decision’s impact: “This will delight millions of users worldwide. We do not want to forget the tens of millions of users who use the software on Windows and who will benefit from the experience and creativity of thousands of Winamp developers”.This open-source release may spark a resurgence of interest in Winamp, potentially leading to new features and improvements driven by the developer community. It also serves as a nostalgic bridge to the early days of digital music, allowing enthusiasts to explore and potentially modernize this piece of software history.
