Re: problems with learning lilypond

[Carl Sorensen]

David,

Thanks for your comments, and for thinking carefully about your LilyPond
use.  I'm not sure exactly what you hoped to have happen as a result of this
post, so it's difficult for me to respond.  However, I do feel like I need
to clear up one point you made:


On 8/11/09 7:37 PM, "David Fedoruk" <address@hidden> wrote:


> 
> Lilypond isn't perfect, recently the way Lilypond works with Jazz chords and
> lead sheets has undergone drastic change. This was a matter of those who knew
> something some of the developers did not know or understand taking the time to
> explain how things worked in real life. It is difficult to tell an expert that
> he may be wrong about something. Choosing words carefully gets good results,
> rants almost never get the required results.
> 

I disagree that the drastic changes in Jazz chords and lead sheets is due to
those who knew something explaining to the developers.  In my opinion, the
drastic changes in Jazz chords and lead sheets is due to people who wanted
to improve things getting involved in making them happen:

1) Improved FretBoards context:  Carl Sorensen wanted it and went after it,
including transposable fret diagrams and N.C. symbol

2) Good chord-name-exceptions lists:  Rick Hansen and others provided them
to the list

3) Transposable lyric chord names: Tao Cumplido decided to create them

4) Improved tablature: Marc Hohl got it implemented

5) Improved chord namer: Thomas Morgan is working on it, and I expect great
results soon


I expect there are more improvements that I haven't included here, but the
key issue is that *somebody* decided they wanted it badly enough to figure
out a way to do it.  LilyPond progress is not limited by the amount the
developers know; it's limited by the amount of time the developers have
available to work on it.  Every developer has a TODO list that's longer than
they have time to deal with, so developers work on what they're interested
in.  And getting development done in some area you care about really means
getting some developer who cares about it as well.

This doesn't mean that non-developers shouldn't ask for features.  Feature
requests are always helpful.  But the best way to get features implemented
is to try to get working on them yourself and then ask for help.

Thanks,

Carl