Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
Mark McCarron wrote: I don't understand. When I choose help from within the Finale menu Safari opens on ti's own. Of course I've never installed IE. But I do have Firefox. Are you on Windows? -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
[Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
I would have thought that several versions later on, from when MakeMusic began using HTML for the user manual, they would have figured out how to allow us to set our browser preference to open the manual from the help menu. I've just looked at all the settings I can find and it appears to be hardwired to automatically open IE! I have FireFox as my default browser and every other auto-open thing which requires a browser defaults to my system default browser. What's up with this? Didn't enough of us complain before (I thought many of us had complained)? Or does MakeMusic get some sort of kickback from Microsoft for forcing us to use IE when we open the manual from within Finale? I really don't feel like opening the manual manually in Firefox before starting a Finale2010 session, and I wish they wouldn't force us to use IE. -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
On 13 Jun 2009 at 7:33, dhbailey wrote: What's up with this? Didn't enough of us complain before (I thought many of us had complained)? Or does MakeMusic get some sort of kickback from Microsoft for forcing us to use IE when we open the manual from within Finale? I really don't feel like opening the manual manually in Firefox before starting a Finale2010 session, and I wish they wouldn't force us to use IE. As I've pointed out in the past when this issue came up, it's far easier to use the default browser than it is to hardwire it to IE. The OS offers a simple API call, ShellExecute, that uses your default settings for file associations to determine which program to open for a particular file extension. It's one line of code. Perhaps the Finale help files don't have the HTML extension? If so, you might be able to set the association for that extension manually. Otherwise, it's pretty inexplicable. I can come up with an explanation of why developers might choose to do this, but it's not one that is convincing. The main reason is that MM is using a set of tools to produce the help files that is itself hardwired to IE, usually because it uses IE-only coding practices (which is a really bad thing to do, and has been something that professional HTML developers have been avoiding for many, many years now -- code to standards, not to a particular browser; IE is the only major browser that has major issues with standards support; the unfortunate IE8, which is breaking systems worldwide as people accidentally install it via Windows Update). But IE is obviously not available no the Mac, so the files produced have to be compatible with Mac browsers, so this really makes very little sense at all. As I said, despite there being a possible way to explain it away, it is still inexplicable that MM would make such a choice in the face of the obvious inadequacy of IE. -- David W. Fentonhttp://dfenton.com David Fenton Associates http://dfenton.com/DFA/ ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
David W. Fenton wrote: On 13 Jun 2009 at 7:33, dhbailey wrote: What's up with this? Didn't enough of us complain before (I thought many of us had complained)? Or does MakeMusic get some sort of kickback from Microsoft for forcing us to use IE when we open the manual from within Finale? I really don't feel like opening the manual manually in Firefox before starting a Finale2010 session, and I wish they wouldn't force us to use IE. As I've pointed out in the past when this issue came up, it's far easier to use the default browser than it is to hardwire it to IE. The OS offers a simple API call, ShellExecute, that uses your default settings for file associations to determine which program to open for a particular file extension. It's one line of code. Perhaps the Finale help files don't have the HTML extension? If so, you might be able to set the association for that extension manually. Otherwise, it's pretty inexplicable. I can come up with an explanation of why developers might choose to do this, but it's not one that is convincing. The main reason is that MM is using a set of tools to produce the help files that is itself hardwired to IE, usually because it uses IE-only coding practices (which is a really bad thing to do, and has been something that professional HTML developers have been avoiding for many, many years now -- code to standards, not to a particular browser; IE is the only major browser that has major issues with standards support; the unfortunate IE8, which is breaking systems worldwide as people accidentally install it via Windows Update). But IE is obviously not available no the Mac, so the files produced have to be compatible with Mac browsers, so this really makes very little sense at all. As I said, despite there being a possible way to explain it away, it is still inexplicable that MM would make such a choice in the face of the obvious inadequacy of IE. The help files have the .htm extension, and in Windows Explorer they exhibit the default browser (firefox) icon and in the type column they are labeled Firefox Document and when I double click on the files from within Windows Explorer they open in Firefox by default since that's my default browser. So it's just laziness on MakeMusic's part, or there may be some under-the-table dealings which make it profitable for MakeMusic to force people to use IE, who knows. In any event it's totally annoying and serves no purpose and is just another instance of where MakeMusic hasn't listened to its end-users. Those who like it opening in IE probably have IE as their default browser and so even if MakeMusic issued the API call that you mention they could still view the files in IE, but for those of use who prefer different browsers (it shouldn't matter which one as long as it conforms to standards) we ought to be able to have the files open automatically from within Finale2010 using whatever browser we wish. Oh, well. Now to see what other things have been improved -- that percussion-map thingy is something I'll be playing around with later. In the Preferences, there is an interesting new addition whereby we can choose how things are copied from pitched-staves to percussion-staves. The options are to copy maintaining the midi-note-numbers (so the position in the playback would stay where we want it but it might make the notation look weird) or copy maintaining the staff positions, so if we have created a drum staff with the notes where we want them for a typical drum part, they should stay looking the same when copied to a non-pitched percussion staff. That sounds very good! -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
On 13 Jun 2009 at 8:58, dhbailey wrote: So it's just laziness on MakeMusic's part, or there may be some under-the-table dealings which make it profitable for MakeMusic to force people to use IE, who knows. I think you should stop saying this, as it makes your otherwise worthwhile post sound like it comes from a wacko. MS doesn't pay anybody to use IE. The idea is so laughable as to be insane. MS doesn't *need* to pay people -- they have far more leverage than mere $$ could ever give them. -- David W. Fentonhttp://dfenton.com David Fenton Associates http://dfenton.com/DFA/ ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
So it's just laziness on MakeMusic's part, or there may be some under-the-table dealings which make it profitable for MakeMusic to force people to use IE, who knows. On OS X it's a piece of cake to change whatever app should open whatever document/image/pdf/etc. Click on a .htm file once, hit Cmd-I, choose there which app to open this document, then choose to open all similar documents of this type with this app. / Cb ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
On Jun 13, 2009, at 10:09 AM, ch...@directionsinmusic.com wrote: So it's just laziness on MakeMusic's part, or there may be some under-the-table dealings which make it profitable for MakeMusic to force people to use IE, who knows. On OS X it's a piece of cake to change whatever app should open whatever document/image/pdf/etc. Click on a .htm file once, hit Cmd-I, choose there which app to open this document, then choose to open all similar documents of this type with this app. / Cb Chris, That operation won't change the browser that Finale uses when you access the help files from the Finale Help menu. It will, however, allow you to double click the help files from the Finder window and have them open where you want. Strangely, the place you change Finale's browser choice is inside the Safari application (!?) in PreferencesDefault Browser. I hardly ever touch Safari, so I was as surprised as you must be to discover that I have to open Safari in order to get Finale help files to open in Firefox. Christopher ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
Friends, Regarding the situation about which David W. Fenton wrote, which annoys some of us, namely that when one clicks on help from within Finale, the help files open in MS Internet explorer, there is an easy enough work-around. Don't open the help files by using the links from within Finale. The help files _will_ open just fine in other browsers, so I have my browser of choice set to open with it's home page as the beginning of the Finale Help system. (the machine I use for my MakeMusic work is not the machine on I normally use for on-line access, and I have the web browser installed mainly for other situations, so it's not particularly inconvenient on this machine to have it open to the Finale help files by default. If I want to access the help files, I just open the browser, rather than click the help button in Finale. ns ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
ch...@directionsinmusic.com wrote: So it's just laziness on MakeMusic's part, or there may be some under-the-table dealings which make it profitable for MakeMusic to force people to use IE, who knows. On OS X it's a piece of cake to change whatever app should open whatever document/image/pdf/etc. Click on a .htm file once, hit Cmd-I, choose there which app to open this document, then choose to open all similar documents of this type with this app. So it is in Windows as well. When I double click on the help files in Windows Explorer they open in my default browser (Firefox). But when I try to open them from the help menu in Finale, IE opens. -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
Noel Stoutenburg wrote: Friends, Regarding the situation about which David W. Fenton wrote, which annoys some of us, namely that when one clicks on help from within Finale, the help files open in MS Internet explorer, there is an easy enough work-around. Don't open the help files by using the links from within Finale. The help files _will_ open just fine in other browsers, so I have my browser of choice set to open with it's home page as the beginning of the Finale Help system. (the machine I use for my MakeMusic work is not the machine on I normally use for on-line access, and I have the web browser installed mainly for other situations, so it's not particularly inconvenient on this machine to have it open to the Finale help files by default. If I want to access the help files, I just open the browser, rather than click the help button in Finale. ns ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale Yes, that's the workaround I've arrived at, also. But we shouldn't have to do that. And just for the record, lest David Fenton's name be connected to my sometimes crazy ravings, it was David Bailey who started this complaint. :-) -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
David W. Fenton wrote: On 13 Jun 2009 at 8:58, dhbailey wrote: So it's just laziness on MakeMusic's part, or there may be some under-the-table dealings which make it profitable for MakeMusic to force people to use IE, who knows. I think you should stop saying this, as it makes your otherwise worthwhile post sound like it comes from a wacko. MS doesn't pay anybody to use IE. The idea is so laughable as to be insane. MS doesn't *need* to pay people -- they have far more leverage than mere $$ could ever give them. You're right -- I realized it was foolish just after I sent it. Oops. -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
dhbailey wrote: And just for the record, lest David Fenton's name be connected to my sometimes crazy ravings, it was David Bailey who started this complaint. :-) So it was. Bad editing on my part. Sorry. ns ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
Noel Stoutenburg wrote: dhbailey wrote: And just for the record, lest David Fenton's name be connected to my sometimes crazy ravings, it was David Bailey who started this complaint. :-) So it was. Bad editing on my part. Sorry. ns ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale To get around the Finale-forces-IE issue I made a desktop shortcut to the index.htm file of the manual, so I just have to remember not to go to the Help menu but rather to double-click on the shortcut. -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
On 13 Jun 2009 at 17:02, dhbailey wrote: And just for the record, lest David Fenton's name be connected to my sometimes crazy ravings, it was David Bailey who started this complaint. :-) I would be happy to be mistaken as the author or your crazy ravings. You have common sense that is unerring, it seems to me. You're just not as hot-headed as me. ;) -- David W. Fentonhttp://dfenton.com David Fenton Associates http://dfenton.com/DFA/ ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
I don't understand. When I choose help from within the Finale menu Safari opens on ti's own. Of course I've never installed IE. But I do have Firefox. Mark Mccarron --- On Sat, 6/13/09, dhbailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com wrote: From: dhbailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com Subject: Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE! To: finale@shsu.edu Date: Saturday, June 13, 2009, 5:02 PM Noel Stoutenburg wrote: Friends, Regarding the situation about which David W. Fenton wrote, which annoys some of us, namely that when one clicks on help from within Finale, the help files open in MS Internet explorer, there is an easy enough work-around. Don't open the help files by using the links from within Finale. The help files _will_ open just fine in other browsers, so I have my browser of choice set to open with it's home page as the beginning of the Finale Help system. (the machine I use for my MakeMusic work is not the machine on I normally use for on-line access, and I have the web browser installed mainly for other situations, so it's not particularly inconvenient on this machine to have it open to the Finale help files by default. If I want to access the help files, I just open the browser, rather than click the help button in Finale. ns ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale Yes, that's the workaround I've arrived at, also. But we shouldn't have to do that. And just for the record, lest David Fenton's name be connected to my sometimes crazy ravings, it was David Bailey who started this complaint. :-) -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Re: [Finale] Finale2010 Manual still requires IE!
On 13 Jun 2009 at 17:58, Mark McCarron wrote: I don't understand. When I choose help from within the Finale menu Safari opens on ti's own. Of course I've never installed IE. But I do have Firefox. This is a Windows-only issue. And that's one of the reasons why it's so infuriating -- they have to do it correctly on the Mac (i.e., use your default browser), but they deliberately choose on Windows do override the users preferred browser. -- David W. Fentonhttp://dfenton.com David Fenton Associates http://dfenton.com/DFA/ ___ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
