edc@ka.excelan.com (Eric Christensen) (12/30/89)
Archive-name: midi/edc-possible-archive Original-posting-by: edc@ka.excelan.com (Eric Christensen) Original-subject: Time for a comprehensive MIDI archive? Archive-site: Time for a comprehensive MIDI archive? [0.0.0.0] Reposted-by: emv@math.lsa.umich.edu (Edward Vielmetti) Ok, enough is enough!!!! I've been rabling around on the MIDI bbs systems, compuserv, etc. for a few months now, and I'm beginning to get irritated with the general lack of availability of PD midi software. It's not that it's not out there, it's just that it's so ^#$%@$#^! difficult to get to! If I have to send another $20 to some BBS operator to get on their board just to snarf some sequence or patch, I'm gonna scream!!!! Now, wait a second - before I get flamed, I'm not jumping on the BBS operators at all. The midi BBS's that I've run accross are all fine systems, and serve a very valuable and important function. And (as a former BBS operator myself), I know they are expensive to operate, so the operator has every right to ask for some membership fee to help offset the costs. The same goes for IEMUG and various users groups out there. What gets me is that there are at least 50 midi BBS's that I know of, not to mention SIGs on Compuserv and other time sharing services. By the time I've subscribed to Compuserv, Genie, become a memeber of 12 users groups, and paid for hours of long distance phone calls to BBSs back east, I've spent hundreds of dollars to get a few patches, a couple sequences, and a simple editor. Now, I've heard this complaint for others as well. Not to mention the all to common "has anyone heard of a public domain editor for a..." messages all to comon in rec.music.synth. As such, I have a proposal that I would like to throw out for discussion. I would be willing to set up and administer a public access MIDI information system with free access via multiple mediums. In particular, I'm talking about anonymous ftp, anonymous uucp, mail archive server (ala uunet & NIC) and even a BBS type file area for those not fortunate enough to have usenet/internet access. The idea here is that anyone and everyone who's interested in midi can gain access to the archives stored on this system. What I don't intend to do is provide any sort of message base or bulletin board service (unless the general opinion is that bullitin board funtions are really important). I feel that the Usenet groups, Compuserv type SIGs and other BBSs server this function well. It's just plain access to files that isn't being addressed for the casual midi hack, or the beginner who's just testing the water and isn't sure if they want to jump in (with $$$) yet. I have the system, the disk space (at least 200MB that I can spare), and the connectivity (NSFnet, uucp, etc). What I don't have is the feedback from all of you midi types out there. So here's my "What if..." questionaire: 1) Would this type of service be useful to you? 2) Would you be willing to "share the wealth"? (Meaning uploading public domain, freeware, and shareware - as long as it doesn't violate licence agreements, of course. I don't have the time / energy to go around collecting new stuff for the archives all the time. I would have to rely on users helping out in this area. I have already contacted several midi s/w vendors who ARE willing to make their demo disks, and in some cases, updates of their packages available online though). 3) Does anyone feel like this wold severely step on the toes of BBS operators and users groups out there? (Keep in mind this is ONLY a file archive, not a message base / bulletin board). 4) Any suggestions / comments / criticism / flames / etc. ? +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Eric Christensen - Sr. System Administrator - Novell Inc., Info Services | | Email: edc@excelan.COM {ames | apple | mtxinu | leadsv }!excelan!edc | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+