Random ranting about the GNU Music project.
-=head2 Note
+=head2 History of the GNU Music Project
-The GNU Music project was started by a few people (among others Robert Strandh,
-Robert.Strandh@labri.u-bordeaux.fr), who wanted to create free software
-for music printing and composing. After its initiation, its
-development efforts slowed down.
+Please note that this all happened when I wasn't around yet. If you
+think that I am a biased, unfair, predisposed hypocrite, then don't
+bother flaming me; I already know that.
-Independently, I started LilyPond. When I showed it to
+The GNU Music project is a project which aims to create free software
+for music printing and composing. It was started in november '92 by a
+core team of four members (Bryan Ford <baford@cs.utah.edu>, David Linn
+<drl@vuse.vanderbilt.edu>, Francois Pinard <pinard@iro.umontreal.ca>,
+Neil Jerram <nj104@cus.cam.ac.uk> and in January '93 Robert Strandh
+<Robert.Strandh@labri.u-bordeaux.fr> joined.
+
+After serious disputes with Robert Strandh
+<Robert.Strandh@labri.u-bordeaux.fr> and the FSF staff in '94, the
+project core team got divided. The development efforts of GMP stopped.
+
+Independently, I (HWN) started LilyPond. When I showed it to
RMS, he was very enthousiastic about having LilyPond in the GNU
project. I subsequently learned about the GNU Music project, and
-contacted them. We (the GNU Music project people and us, LilyPond
-people) agreed that cooperation would be desirable. Although merging
-of both efforts is technically infeasible at this point, we did decide
-that LilyPond should also be part of the GNU Music project (when it is
-really released).
-
-In summary, LilyPond is part of the GNU project, and part of the (yet
-to be created) GNU Music project. LilyPond 's existence does not mean
-that other efforts for free music tools have come to a halt. In
-particular, the following document is entirely mine, and is not meant
-to reflect anyone else's opinion.
+contacted them.
+
+What was left of the GMP (Robert Strandh) and us, LilyPond people,
+agreed that cooperation would be desirable. Although merging of both
+efforts was and is technically infeasible, we did decide that LilyPond
+should also be part of the GNU Music project.
+
+Only later did I discover the previous quarrels about the GMP-"take
+1". To show that I am aware of the history, and to make sure nobody
+gets me wrong or is angry at me because I stole a project or a
+project's name, I wrote this note.
+
+In summary, LilyPond is now the only substantial embodiment of the GNU Music
+Project, and it is part of the GNU project.
+
+For completeness' sake, I will mention the other efforts here:
+
+=over 4
+
+=item G Sharp, http://dept-info.labri.u-bordeaux.fr/~strandh/Gsharp
+
+An alpha version notation editor for X in Scheme. Source available on
+request.
+
+=item GNU music,
+
+An alpha version of a music editing system with Musictex
+output. Pretest versions of GNU Music (v0.3) can still be obtained from
+Francois Pinard.
+
+=back
+
+This history note is probably biased in some way, because I wrote it.
+The rest of this document is also entirely mine, and is not meant to
+reflect anyone else's opinion.
=head1 GOAL
=back
-Music publishers make lots of money out of selling sheet music which
-is in the public domain (the composers died a long time ago). It is
-usually prohibited to xerox the sheet music. Publishers have two
-arguments to justify this policy: the high prices are there to guarantee
-diversity (keeping lots of stock is expensive), and to encourage new
-work being composed.
-
-LilyPond addresses the first issue: storing mudelas takes up almost no
-space at all. Other systems should address the other issue:
-encouraging laymen to take up composing, in the same way that GNU
-tools have created a whole new generation of programmers.
-
-The public deserves to get public domain music for free (zero cents).
+These systems should encourage laymen to take up composing, in the
+same way that GNU tools have created a whole new generation of
+programmers.
The public deserves free tools for composing and printing.
-In general, the same arguments as for software hold for music. See
-Stallmans articles on free software.
-
=head1 REQUIREMENTS
which can display clear notewriting in (say) an X-window
-G-Sharp is there, but far from finished. Ideally the system should
-cooperate with the typesetting engine
+Ideally the system should cooperate with the typesetting engine
=item An ASCII language
(difficult) A system to generate accompaniments, figured bass,
automatic accompaniment, etc.
-=item An internet archive of free music
-
-The complete works by Bach, Beethoven, and any other ancient composer
-should be electronically retrievable. This might be a separate
-project: the Free Music Project.
=back
projects / lilypond.git / blobdiff