The eighth issue in August(2)
The publisher : Shigeto Wada
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/ swmusicstudio/
Contents
A
consideration of enlightenment of MAX (2nd part)
At
the starting of MAX i MUM
What
MAX is.
The
imprint
Next issue will be on 10th September.
You
are able to download
this magazine from hear
to read after disconnecting.
' MAX i MUM ...E version... The eighth issue in August(2) '
Enlightenment !? (the second part)
However MAX adopts easy-understandable programming
structure and user interface,
there is no description what a concept of programming
is.
Just it said, MAX programming is based on C programming.
Who knows C programming? It is a big problem.
The idea of MAX programming is far different from
the idea which "computer expert" thought.
It does not looks like programme.
But it actually does.
So, how does a complete beginner think?
How does he understand the action to make a line
connection between objects which have certain functions?
To begin with, it would be a strange feeling that
all commands are processed from top to down.
He would wonder that why they should not make a
programme looping.
If he has any experience of programming, he never thought these question.
These sort of question can be found almost all computer
software or hardware manual.
It sounds perfect and certain way that a well
knowledgeable
person writing manuals, but it is actually a quite bad idea.
Giving MAX to somebody who has no idea about it,
and ask him to write its manual when he can use it.
He must make a best manual.
Because, there is no trap called "I have already
known.".
So bad thing is the manual ? Well, there are the issue of the chicken or the egg.
For example, let think about MacintoshOS. Or windows.
Both have the same problem anyway.
Past various OS was more understandable and work
certainly.
I used to use MS-DOS, which is still adopted on
Windows and has not stop its development,
and I loved it from my heart.
Because it never stop without reason nor give me
unreasonable error message.
(Now both OSes give me reasonable error which says
"error caused an unknown reason".)
Always, I can find a reason to me.
As compared with it, both of OSes are extremely
complicated,
though they are Operation System.
"Anybody"+"able to handle"+"kind to human"+"most
efficient"+"no need of manuals"
These never be true. In a word, both can stop without
reason.
And certain basic knowledge is required for using
them just properly not professionally.
Otherwise, you will get many many problems and be
welcomed to the stressful life.
Moreover, strangely, easy-understandable description
is put between the line hardly found.
In some case, there is not!
Because, there is every possibility that manual
writer himself does not know or has not noticed about it.
So, we never knows that the manual is wrong or software
itself is bad.
Then, another solution is practised.
If you go to book shops, you can find supplementary
manuals anywhere, and they fill holes in the official manual.
The 3rd person can find the reason to fill them,
in other words, it can turn into money,
and it is a shame of software developer, these books
are significantly in demand.
There are needs, so manual can be completed in some
sense.
Users are saved by this, software companies presume
on its "bad"will because of their laziness.
Who want to pay more money for more manuals? A price
of software is already expensive enough.
There are really few this kinds of needs to MAX.
So there is almost no books which can fill the holes.
In case, developer ought to provide a easy-understandable
and detailed manual.
They admit that a user has to pay nearly $500 for
a software which is never sure that you can use it and
only provides a "possibility", and needs to read
difficult manual.
Care for the beginners is almost nothing. No adequate
FAQ or Getting started instruction. (It is perfect for users experienced
for programming)
How many people try to use it !?
Fortunately, english version user can receive many
good aspects.
But, Japanese version contains too many jokes.
For example, MSP-j is provided with Japanese manual.
But to use MSP, I need to read MAX manual which is in English.
MSP-j manual is surprisingly summed up from 297
pages (E) to about 40 pages (J).
Its tutorial is changed into a group of examples.
They are so good for Demo but certainly not for
Tutorial.
English tutorial is far more understandable.
Nevertheless, both require high level "basic knowledge".
How they think that MAX i MUM was needed to appear
in the context.
Do they understand what is "on a volunteer basis"
?
I think "volunteer" is very difficult to treat.
It is no problem to say, "You can do it because
you do by yourself."
But before say this, they should think things I
mentioned.
They should feel shame that readers number are gradually
increasing, and many people said, they have waited the magazine like this.
What a waste it is. MAX is thought as a useful great
software, but people shy away from it.
I suppose I could say enough about things and thoughts which may need to distribute MAX now.
After thinking a lot, I notice some small things.
Those are:
I do not want to waste my time. So lets go back
and think about drum'N'bass or things things.
It is more nice to think how can I make drum'N'bass
with MAX patch, than think what I mentioned above.
So lets stop distributing MAX i MUM and do only
what useful to me.
Well, that is dead self-destructive thought, but
if I have no time or give up, the time will come.
Before the time comes, I wish they think about the
importance of "support".
I believe that well selling software will be really
useful software.
You sell nice one, so do not limit them in a potential
level.
MAX can be a practical software in more broad sense.
(so, now, let us go back to "the basic usage of MAX" shall we?)
At
the starting of MAX i MUM
Thus the content includes quite basic usage of each object and description of terms, also introduces the interfaces which are provided by MAX and the optional software or hardware of it.
Moreover, it would be really welcoming that applications of readers which agree the above purpose.
MAX is a rare and excellent software which gives chance of making up musical works with well thought of logic and mathematics of creators, in other words, without concerned with special skills such as reading scores or playing musical instruments, to the persons who want to approach music actively.
I do hope at the starting of MAX i MUM
that a lot of readers would be interested in composition, arrangement,
also sound engineering, furthermore, here would be a place that we exchange
enjoyable information each other because of this magazine.
What
MAX is.
" Max is a graphical music programming environment for people who have hit the limits of the usual sequencer and voicing programs for MIDI equipment." (Miller Puckette, Max reference manual, 1988)
based on Pd by Miller Puckette, (c)1997 The Regents of
the University of California
MSP and Pd are based on ideas in Max/FTS, an advanced
DSP platform (c)IRCAM. Used by permission.
pluggo, Plug-in Manager, and this manual are copyright
(c) 1999 Cycling'74.
pluggo uses the runtime environment for MSP.
Cycling '74
1186 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94103 USA
[email protected]
http://www.cycling74.com
The
imprint
The publisher and distributor : Shigeto Wada
The publishing office : Shigeto Wada Music Studio
e-mail address : [email protected]
Published on 30th August, 2000 as "MAX i MUM, the eighth issue in August(2)"