Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.audio
Subject: Re: OctaMEDProV3
From: Michael Whitten <M-WHIT2@UMINN1.BITNET>
Date: Tuesday, 1 Sep 1992 09:30:21 CST
Organization: University of Minnesota - Computer & Information Services

On 9/1/92, clldomps@cs.ruu.nl (Louis van Dompselaar) replied:

>In <92244.090057M-WHIT2@UMINN1.BITNET> Michael Whitten <M-WHIT2@UMINN1.BITNET>
>writes:
>
>>>1. OMEDPro will not save all the instruments I load into it. It takes the
>>>   liberty of leaving out all the unused instruments when you go to save
>>>   the song you're working on. This means I have to either reload all the
>>>   instruments I ment to use, or use the first block to enter a note from
>>>   all 64 instruments to make OMEDPro think I'm using them.
>>
>>Okay, it's from the original-original article, but I will comment
>anyway. What's the use of having sounds in MED when you don't use
>them? It's silly. If you are a genuine composer, you'll decide what
>sounds to use later on, anyway. You'll first need a tune that uses
>the sounds. So, when you've got the tune, MED won't remove the sounds.
>It's easy.
>
>>>   now I have to go back and change it in my songs.
>>
>You don't HAVE to use OMEDpro...
>
>>>3. OMEDPro, of all versions, did not come with instructions. Lucky for me,
>>
>That's because it's not PD.
>
>>The more I use this software, the more disappointed and frustrated I get.
>>All the things Jason pointed out are true. I have my own compatibility gripes
>>with OMED3, too.  The program is supposed to be able to save in ST/NT mod
>>format - it will not; in fact, its supposed to be able to save in all of
>
>You didn't try did you? I use OMEDPro to save ST/NT mods quite happily.
>It can't save older MED versions, true, but then again, who needs
>old file formats? It can't save C64 files, it can't save PC/XT files.
>All of these would have use for SOMEONE out there, but Teijo thought it
>wise to be upward compatible, not downward, as is generally the idea
>of upgrading. Ever seen a WordPerfect 5.1 that saves files in WP 2.0
>format? It's silly.
>
>>only those with OctaMEDv3 can hear it?  Ahhhh, well there's the freely-
>>distributable OctaMEDPlayerV3, right?  Wrong!  While OMED3 plays what I wrote
>>just fine......its own player cannot!  Nice going, Amiganuts!  The player
>
>The player is fine too, plays everything OMEDPro can play. Maybe your
>version of OMEDPro and player are messed up somehow?
>
>>program screws up the octaves, and I suspect it is the extra 2 octave ability
>
>It's octave range is extended to 10, if you've looked at the Edit menu.
>So that's 5 extra octaves. (MIDI mode)
>
>>As much as I admire Teijo Kinnunnen and MED, I have to question the more-
>>esoteric-features for less-compatibility direction he has chosen.  He seems
>>to pride himself on adding newer and newer features to his music editor
>>programming, but why bother if the already in-place Save features don't work?
>>
>Save function are OK, was long as you don't want things like mentioned
>above. About the features, why are they esoteric? I find the MIDI panel
>the least he could do, I even have some ideas on further enhancements.
>In fact, if there are editors that DON'T allow any number of features
>that OMEDPro offers, I don't know how I should use MIDI with them.
>True, the syntheditor might be removed, I don't use it that much, but
>then again, there might be some additions to the sample editor.
>
>Louis
>a happy OctaMEDPro user.

Louis....don't make me come over there.  The tone of your comments implies
that I'm just making this stuff up.  Things happened and I related them;
and you deny they happened. Are you running for election of something?
Briefly, I'll go over this again:  I wrote a mod in OMEDPro3; it wouldn't
save in ST/NT format, ie, NO ST/NT tracker could play it, in fact, it
took the 4-octave sample and reduced it to only the 1st octave; there were
NO OMEDPro3-only tricks in this module!  Now read this part again slowly:
OMEDPro3 plays the mod just the way I wrote it while OMEDProPlayer3 DOES
NOT!  Since there aren't any, I don't have a ton of docs that qualify
what OMEDPRO3 and its player are or aren't able to do.  Honest! Louis!...
this happened even though you say it didn't.  Hmmm, there may a job for you
at MicroIllusions' customer service should you decide to ever work here.
<X>
ps: I'll ftp the mod to your favorite site, but you better be prepared to
post an apology for the indignant tone of your tome.