On Wed, Jul 30, 2003 at 09:38:29AM +0100, Bernard Hill wrote: > > There has been quite a bit of discussion about features which are not > part of standard notation and yet are acceptable in abc. > > Fine. But I propose that all such things are NOT implemented in version > 2 but wait for version 3. This would include > > "strange" key signatures. > N-times repeats ::| etc > (and possibly more I can't think of just now) > > If you leave such constructs in version 2 you are actually inviting > existing music software (such as Sibelius or Finale or any software > which does not have these constructs implemented) never to implement abc > as a format. > > But if you *did* persuade just one of the big software companies to > implement abc then just imagine the explosion of abc files out there in > public domain. > > I'm probably going to get shot down but I'd like to see what the > reaction here is first. > > PS I don't actually *know* that Sib & Fin can't do those constructs, but > the principle stands. I note that Dave Webber of Mozart has been silent > here for a good while and wonder if he has abandoned the projected > implementation. I know that I have certainly been getting cold feet > because of all the new features required.
One possible counter-argument would be, that if ABC was able to express things that no other software can, just imagine the explosion of usefulness. Tunes might start turning up containing information that people previously didn't have any way of expressing. "Some people believe this has already happened", to borrow from Douglas Adams. -- Richard Robinson "The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
