Re: lilypond-user Digest, Vol 114, Issue 130

[David Kastrup]

James Harkins <address@hidden> writes:

> - The wow factor. There isn't much software that truly knocks my socks
> off *every time* I use it. Supercollider totally changed the way I
> approach composing. Lilypond has done something I thought was
> impossible when I was using -- hm, that's not right, let's try
> "fighting with" -- Finale: It's actually made it enjoyable to typeset
> music on the computer. !

I maintain that you still need a certain mind frame for that.

> - One of the senior developers works on Lilypond basically full-time,
> without institutional support. Nobody is doing that in
> supercollider-land.

I would be surprised if not.  Many software projects profit
significantly from academic procrastination.  I should know because I
have written preview-latex
<URL:http://www.gnu.org/software/auctex/preview-latex> in order to be
able to better work on my doctorate thesis, and it turned out I worked
on it _instead_ of my thesis (which never completed).  But then likely
dozens of people used it for working on their thesis successfully, and
the time it saved my father alone (theoretical physicist, still
productive at 77 years) probably made up for it in the grand scheme of
things.

The amazing thing is rather that in the last three months, my finances
have not taken a further dive and this looks like it _could_ end up
sustainable.  Make no mistake: LilyPond is _far_ too large by now that a
single person will ever again be able to be responsible for maintaining
it.  So this is not a model for how to do a project: it needs to remain
the exception.  Now it is not like other projects don't work from
donations: check out <URL:http://www.ardour.org>.  The front webpage
shows a proprietary product paying royalties to the head developer.

If you look on the download page, you'll see

    Registering Is Recommended

    You are not logged into the ardour.org website, and so any payment
    you make here will not be taken into account for support or future
    updates. It is recommended that you register with the website before
    downloading Ardour.

    Choose what you would like to download
    Ardour 2.8.12 for Linux x86         
    Ardour 2.8.12 for Linux x86_64      
    Ardour 2.8.12 for OS X Intel (MacBook, Mini, iMac )         
    Ardour 2.8.12 for OS X PPC (PowerMac, PowerBook, G4/G5)     
    Ardour 2.8.12 source code for all platforms         
    How much to pay?

    You can edit the amount in the box below to any amount you wish,

    Continuing development, bug fixes and support can only happen if
    there is money to support those activities. Please become one of the
    many downloaders who help support the future of Ardour!

    OS X users: if you choose to pay nothing for a ready-to-run version,
    you will get a demo version that is missing the ability to save
    AudioUnit plugin settings.

    Linux users: if you choose to pay nothing for a ready-to-run
    version, you will get the normal version but should not expect
    support from our IRC channels or mailing list.

I am not saying that I consider this unethical: that would be a stretch.
The source is available under the GPL.  And the developer has a target
of US$54k per year, $4500 per month, and comes close.  That's not really
excessive, and Ardour is a large application, and Paul Davis _does_ the
bulk of the design.  And his way of addressing contributors has a chance
to address a lot of otherwise passive users for small contributions.

Which is where I would like to head eventually.  Just not in that
manner.  Currently, I am more financed by people active enough to follow
discussions on the mailing list, and frankly: for many, in particular
those with sizable amounts, they _are_ already contributing a lot of
_time_ and effort in addition to supporting me.

And yes: Wow.  I did not expect this to come even close to working, but
I thought people deserved a chance with full disclosure before I had to
quit for good.

-- 
David Kastrup