Re: no MIDI input with dosemu ?

[Dave Phillips <dlphilp@bright.net>]

Greetings:

  Before anyone gets disturbed over all this, I must let you know that 
Stas has sent me a patch to test for adding MIDI input to the CVS 
DOSemu. I have compiled the sources and have slightly tested for MIDI 
input. It didn't work, but that doesn't mean Stas's code is wrong. I'm 
currently in the middle of a very heavy writing project (12,000 words 
and I'm only about 2/3 finished, so I've been stalled for a while 
(Sorry, Stas!). I'll try to make some time for more testing today.

  So, thanks to Stas we're getting there. When Seq+ gets MIDI input 
it'll be just fantastic. I agree with Steve, Linux MIDI just hasn't "got 
there" yet, though it's certainly moving right along (so far MusE has 
the most appeal for me, but I haven't had time to test the latest 
Rosegarden release).

  Little by little, the doing gets it done... ;)

Best,

== dp




steve.home@cox.net wrote:

>The problem is that MIDI is not just for games. I haven't used a better all-around MIDI sequencer than seq+ in the last 10 years. And I know other people who feel the same. I hate to say it but from a user's perspective, even a user with a strong pro-linux bias, Linux MIDI hasn't hit the mark, Jazz and Rosegarden included. If dosemu and Linux are to live up to their promise there's no reason not to have a full MIDI implementation. Some of us would really appreciate it.
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>>From: Dave Phillips <dlphilp@bright.net>
>>Date: 2004/01/08 Thu AM 10:16:00 EST
>>To: linux-msdos@vger.kernel.org
>>CC: Stas Sergeev <stsp@aknet.ru>,  steve.home@cox.net,  ametts@mindspring.com
>>Subject: Re: no MIDI input with dosemu ?
>>
>>Stas Sergeev wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Why? Implementing midi input is trivial,
>>>but I'm puzzled as of what's the use.
>>>Dosemu needs a MIDI output as otherwise
>>>you can't play games. But as for midi
>>>recording, you can use the native Linux
>>>programs just fine. And it will actually
>>>work better, because under dosemu the
>>>timing is not always accurate. So why
>>>would anyone ever need that? 
>>>      
>>>
>>No, Stas, I can't use the native Linux sequencers "just fine" and their 
>>developers know it. Unfortunately there is no easy way for them to 
>>accomodate my working method (which results from amenities of the 
>>particular DOS sequencer I like to use). I put about nine years into 
>>working with a particular program (Sequencer Plus, or Seq+ for short) 
>>whose working method is far more amenable to me than that of any native 
>>Linux sequencer. I'm not much of a keyboard player, I'm a guitarist, so 
>>I prefer a MIDI sequencer with exceptional QWERTY keyboard data entry 
>>features, and none of the native Linux sequencers approach the usability 
>>of Seq+ in this regard. Actually I can use Seq+ under DOSemu to meet my 
>>needs, but a few other users have written to me about wanting MIDI input 
>>with Seq+ under DOSemu. Apparently they're not comfortable with the 
>>native Linux MIDI sequencers either.
>>
>>The developers of the native Linux sequencers know of my needs quite 
>>well (I've been corresponding with all of them since their projects 
>>began). The problem lies in some of their own assumptions and some of 
>>the restrictions forced on them by X11. Also, Seq+ includes many MIDI 
>>features not found in Rosegarden-4, MusE, Jazz++, or seq24. Timing is in 
>>fact very good, especially when run with a Linux kernel patched for 
>>low-latency (I use the Planet CCRMA system). MusE and Rosegarden both 
>>have trouble playing some of my MIDI sequences that Seq+ handles 
>>perfectly under DOSemu. The plain fact is that for my working methods 
>>Seq+ is superior to any native Linux MIDI sequencer. I say this not to 
>>criticize the Linux sequencers, but merely to indicate how far they have 
>>to go before they reach the maturity of an application like Seq+ (which 
>>by 1995 had almost ten years of development).
>>
>>Btw, I'm uninterested in integrated audio/MIDI sequencing, which is the 
>>design philosophy behind the Jazz++, MusE, and Rosegarden-4 (seq24 is 
>>designed more like a hardware sequencer such as the old Alesis MT8 and 
>>again has little value to my work methods). I'm strictly interested in 
>>MIDI, and it seems to me that the Linux developers are putting more time 
>>into audio-oriented features than into MIDI-specific features. As I 
>>said, they know my opinions about these matters (and we're still 
>>friends, incredible as it seems).
>>
>>If adding MIDI input capability in DOSemu is trivial, hopefully these 
>>reasons will convince you that it would still be greatly appreciated by 
>>some of us.
>>
>>Best regards,
>>
>>Dave Phillips
>>
>>
>>
>>
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