Friends,
While I knew some of what Robert Patterson wrote, about ~.ETF, I was unaware of some of the details he provides, and factoring those into the equation, I'll admit that it's something like the "mini-spare tires" automakers in the U.S. currently provide as standard with most vehicles.
However, what informs my present decision in choice of notation software, is the relative stance between the company which produces Finale, and the one that produces Sibelius. Even though the ~.etf format is neither as complete, nor as thoroughly documented, as one might like (and considering the thoroughness of the rest of the Finale documentation, this fact does not surprise me in the least) it is still more than is provided by Sibelius.
Because I own current spreadsheet software that can read data files produced in "VISI-calc", and 'MULTI-Plan" formats, and because I own current word processing software that can read data files in "WordSTAR" and "MULTI-Mate" formats, I am relatively unconcerned about the ability to read Finale data files twenty or thirty years hence. Certainly, I concede that it's possible that it may not be possible to do so, but the installed base of Finale users and the fact that there is some degree of openness, even if not as open as one might wish, with respect to Finale, suggests to me that it will be easier to use non-MakeMusic! software to open Finale files, than Sibelius ones and therefore since it will be easier, it will be more likely. Just note the state today: because of the ~.etf format it is possible to move, scores from Finale to Sibelius. There is no similar native format which permits one to move a file from Sibelius to Finale.
Finally, I would note that even the presence of a hard-copy written record of the no music is not in and of itself a guarantee that the music will be accessible. I would cite in support of this proposition, the music of various ancient peoples--Greeks, and Babylonians, &c,--where there appears to be music, which we do not have the knowledge to be able to decode. I learned in College, of that manuscripts and printed versions of the "old chant" music of the Russian Orthodox Church, which could not be interpreted because of a lack of information on how the music was to be intepreted, though I remember reading some time ago that someone had discovered a tutor, or some such which permitted some degree of reconstruction of this.
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