----- Forwarded message (env-from david) -----
>From david Thu Aug 17 11:39:20 2000
Subject: Musixtex and the rivals
To: mutex
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 11:39:20 +0100 (BST)
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4ME+ PL47 (25)]
Content-Length: 1520
Hello,
I have an idea to try a cottage industry publishing music, i.e. offering a music
typesetting service to local composers etc.
I am very impressed with Musixtex especially as it runs on Linux and this would appear
to be a suitable tool for typesetting musically on a professional basis. However I
don't know any of the other tools - I've heard of Sibelius and a quick look on the web
for people offering a music typesetting service revealed that they seemed to use
Fidelio 2000. I guess both of these are MS windows based (a big down side from my
point of view) and both WYSIWIG (I'm happier working in TeX). My main questions are:
i) How does Musixtex compare with the likes of Fidelio when it comes to publishing
music professionally, e.g. are there any things Fidelio etc. can do, and which are
necessary for a professional result, which Musixtex can't do?
ii) Once I am familiar with Musixtex and can code reasonably quickly - will this be
quick enough for a professional service, i.e. cost will be based on the time it takes
to typeset a manuscript? Is Fidelio 2000 etc. significanlty faster.
iii) What other professional typesetting packages are there, esp. on Unix/Linux?
iii) Can Musixtex be used with midi files, i.e. producing music automatically?
I am a capable C/C++ programmer so, time permitting, perhaps I could contribute to the
project, e.g. see my previous e-mail regarding bar lines? I would need some guidance
on where to start etc.
Thanks in anticipation of your time,
David Elsdon.
----- End of forwarded message (env-from david) -----
