Re: Adding to ELPA?

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

Artur Malabarba <bruce.connor.am@gmail.com> writes:

> How are you distributing this mode?

LilyPond-mode is distributed along with LilyPond.

> Couldn't you distribute the package with it?

It does not really make all that much sense since this package is a
generic MIDI input package with lots of potential uses, and it would
make sense to eventually integrate parts of its functionality into a
proper ALSA interface in the Emacs binary (leading to more robust
timing, for example).  It does not really have any connection with
LilyPond.

It does not even have any interface of its own (though using some
utility functions is possible): you call its interactive entry, and then
it delivers events to the input queue which you can bind.  If somebody
wants to use an organ pedal for inputing Meta/Super modifiers, a dozen
lines should do that.  If somebody wants to use a sustain pedal (which
delivers different events), the mode needs extensions.  I don't even
have a sustain pedal.

Locking this package into LilyPond distribution just does not make
sense.  It's Emacs infrastructure.  And packages/modes using it should
work just the same if ALSA support were designed and natively compiled
into Emacs.  In the mean time, it's a solid stopgap and a good stepping
stone for further extensions.

-- 
David Kastrup