RE: Evolutionary User Strategery

[Fairchild]

The 3.0 processor could note the 2.4 version flag and treat the ly file in
the 2.4 way, maintaining upward compatibility without a need for convert-ly.

                               - Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: Erik Sandberg [mailto:address@hidden 
Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2006 5:08 AM
To: address@hidden
Cc: Fairchild
Subject: Re: Evolutionary User Strategery


On Friday 07 July 2006 16:46, Fairchild wrote:
> LilyPonders -
>
> The only reasonable solution is to maintain upward compatibility in 
> the LilyPond processor.  New features should be added without changing 
> existing syntax.  If it is deemed absolutely necessary to change 
> semantics or define conflicting syntax, provide for optional 
> interpretations based on the version specified.  Older ly files should 
> generate consistent results as LilyPond migrates.  More exhaustive 
> regression tests are necessary.

This one is not possible either: Let's say that you typeset a score in v2.4,

and that lily, due to a bug, makes some text collide with some notes. Let's 
say that you work around this by tweaking the extra-offset of the text. If 
now the bug is fixed in v3.0, your text will look ugly when compiled in 3.0,

and you will have to remove the tweak manually, regardless of how clever 
convert-ly is.

Conclusion: Full backward compatibility is not desirable.

-- 
Erik