The point is, if I'm on a tight schedule, which is often the norm in my case, having to go back even an hour can be harrowing. The main point is one of having confidence in the software I'm using. A HD crash (been there, done that) is easily circumvented if you have a good backup scheme set up, which I have - multiple backup on several external HD including to my ipod (which I always carry with me when I'm out - having all my work off site if ever something like a fire or theft comes up) and archiving bi-monthly to CD or DVD. Even the computer blowing up can be handled with such a scheme. But having the possibility that your work may be residing in a corrupt file.... that just doesn't work for me. If and when this happens, there's no way to be confident that any of your backups hasn't been affected, especially when the problem does not have a precise diagnosis. Back in 2000, I had this mega project: 90 minutes of music composed in a collaborative setting with 19 composers for 16 ensembles (over 300 musicians/parts). Had to print more then 4500 pages of music in the last month of the project. If I had had this type of problem happen during that project, I would have jumped out the window – good thing my office is in the basement :-) I've invested in this program since day one (over 1200$CAN back then) with all of the upgrades since then, which makes this a hefty investment by anyone's standard. I'll keep investing in it because it serves my purpose, usually satisfactorily, although there have been moments. But I have no time to become a beta tester, not on my schedule. I do appreciate those who do have and take the time. But that's why I pay for upgrades, so I don't have to worry about that. Well, at least that's the theory of it. I'm sorry if you don't understand that. But this problem is different from any of the possible failures which can and will eventually happen to any computer user. Like I said, been there, done that. And expect to be there sometime in the future – just don't let it be this week ;-) BTW, here's another realtime example where this may cause a copyist or composer to take pause. Peter Jackson, of Lord of the Rings Fame, just decided that he didn't like the music which Howard Shore wrote for the upcoming King Kong movie (release date is December 14). So he just handed the project over to James Newton Howard who has to write a whole new score for the entire film. So you got to figure music for 90 to 120 minutes of film, probably symphonic score, with the need for recording and editing time and the release date still set at Dec. 14. Talk about a deadline. Bernard Savoie |
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