Re: signs

[Graham Percival]

On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:15:11 +0100 (CET)
Werner LEMBERG <address@hidden> wrote:

> > This will double the size of any example that we comment -- and in
> > the process, it will make the docs less usable for everybody else.
> > I really can't imagine how we could do this without significantly
> > changing all the documentation.
> 
> You are greatly exaggerating.  So far, our blind Chinese user only
> asked for a very small amount of helping descriptions, and I doubt
> that it will increase signficantly.

Let's look at the beginning of the NR:

----
A pitch name is specified using lowercase letters a through g. An
ascending C-major scale is engraved with

         
         \clef bass
         c d e f g a b c'
----

If you can see the image, it's obvious which letter corresponds to
which note.  We don't need to type "middle C is c'" or "octaves
start with c: "a b c' d' " is are four ascending notes.

Let's jump ahead to the Relative:

-----
A note sequence without a single octave mark can nevertheless span
large intervals:

         
         \relative c {
           c f b e a d g
         }
----

Again, this is explained quite well if you look at the output.
We'd need a lot more explanation to make it understandable to
people who can't see the output.


Granted, pitches are explained with more text in the LM, so that
might not be such a big deal.


Taking my favorite "the docs suck" section, "falls and doits"
-----
Falls and doits can be added to notes using the \bendAfter
command,

         
         \override Score.SpacingSpanner #'shortest-duration-space
= #3.0
         c4-\bendAfter #+5
-----

This doesn't mean anything unless you can see the graphical
output.  (granted, it doesn't help all that much if you _can_ see
the output... although a user familiar with this notation might be
able to figure it out)


I agree that lilypond could be great for blind users, but it
_would_ involve a lot of extra work on the docs.  At the moment I
don't see enough volunteers to do this.

Sorry,
- Graham