Re: Web: Download: Add introductory text (issue 40510046)

[David Kastrup]

Urs Liska <address@hidden> writes:

> Based on my patch:
> "LilyPond is a **command line application** and does not constitute a
> working environment. Apart from LilyPond itself you'll need a suitable
> editor. ..."

The problem I'm running into is that I see a conflict between being
accurate and writing in terms that our "average user" is able to
understand.

"Application" already applies a user interface.  "ed" is a commandline
application.  Guile's commandline interpreter is a commandline
application.  gcc and LilyPond aren't in the strictest sense of the
word: they are batch utilities or programs.  They are not interactive.

But of course the people we are trying to address here never ever heard
of batch processing.  And probably never saw those standard cardboxes
with a batch of punchcards (and/or a mouse litter) in them.

Maybe "interactive" is a useful term?  Like

"LilyPond is not an interactive program: its sole task is translating
a textual description of music into typeset music.  For creating that
textual description, an editor is required.

While any general-purpose text editor can be used for this task, some
applications are specifically tailored to working with LilyPond."

Yes, this is getting verbose again, but it's likely hard to whittle it
down significantly.  At any rate, it might be a starting point regarding
the concepts and information we need to convey.

-- 
David Kastrup