Re: Request for feedback on 'lobbying' paper

[David Kastrup]

Janek Warchoł <address@hidden> writes:

> 2013/4/23 David Kastrup <address@hidden>:
>> Janek Warchoł <address@hidden> writes:
>>> Technically speaking, you are 100% correct.  I agree that talking
>>> doesn't get the job done, and i understand the frustration when
>>> someone reminds you about an issue that you remember very well but
>>> don't have time to tackle.
>>
>> It's not just that "I don't have time".  It is that there is a bunch of
>> related issues I'd rather see tackled previously.
>
> Similarly with me.
>
>>> However, could you say thins in a manner that is encouraging rather
>>> than discouraging?
>>
>> Encouraging what?
>
> LilyPond development in general.  I.e. in a manner that makes people
> have more motivation to work on LilyPond (even if we don't end up
> working on MusicXML, which would admittedly be preferred in this
> case).

Huh?  It isn't "preferred".  It is just that the current minuscule work
force tends to be saturated on its current tasks.  Nobody "prefers" that
no work on MusicXML is happening.  Anybody would be welcome to work on
it.  But it does not make sense to pretend that people are working on it
when that is not the case.

>> But what word are we spreading?  "Can it work with our existing
>> scores and data, possibly through MusicXML?"  "No, but if it could,
>> it would likely be the best at it."
>
> yeah, that's bad.  But it's not like Lily has only "potential"
> capabilities: scores can be done using it, with good results.

Sure.  But interoperability is not something we can truthfully advertise
as a capability when nobody is working on it or even planning to work on
it.  Not even when we have full agreement that it would be nice.

> Bottom line: i'd also like the situation to be better before starting
> serious "adverstising".  But if we wait too long, we won't arrive at
> anything.

We won't arrive at anything by advertising, either.  Particularly not by
focusing our advertising on the things we are bad at and painting them
in a wrong light.  That's just a recipe for a disappointed user base.

> In other words: if we practice too long, we'll miss the performance.

I am more worried about us practicing other instruments and pieces than
on the concert announcements.

-- 
David Kastrup