Re: transcribe notes

[David Kastrup]

Graham Percival <address@hidden> writes:

> On Tue, Jun 12, 2012 at 10:58:37PM +0200, Philip Thomas wrote:
>> >On Tue, Jun 12, 2012 at 9:46 PM, Philip Thomas <address@hidden>
>> >wrote:
>> >> I should mention that I'm no programmer. (And I wouldn't be offended
>> >> by a polite "thanks, but no
>> >> thanks".)
>
> I'm afraid that my first reaction is "thanks, but no thanks".  See
> below.
>
>> >On Tuesday 12 June 2012 at 22:29, Janek Warchoł
>> > <mailto:address@hidden> wrote:>
>> >If you want to contribute to LilyPond, chapter "quick start" in
>> >Contributors' Guide
>> >(http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.15/Documentation/contributor-big-page#quick-
>> >start)
>> >tells you how to setup your working environment.
>
> Be warned that the CG is not actively maintained.  I estimate that
> approximately 20% of the advice in the CG misleading, and 10% of
> the advice is harmful.  It was not intended to be harmful, of
> course, but when policies and the technical layout of lilypond
> development change but the CG is not updated, the end result can
> be worse than giving no advice at all.
>
> I cannot in good conscience encourage anybody to become involved
> with lilypond development at the present time unless they have a
> mentor.  It would, of course, be really nice if somebody like
> Janek offered to mentor you on this.

While I applaud the magnitude of your conscience, I consider your sense
of responsibility overblown.  I would have no qualms encouraging people
into trying to get involved.

They can expect some friction, naturally, work they do unnecessarily.
That's a possible source of frustration.  It can be minimized by asking
for feedback.  Now if things are as bad as to make 80% give up
eventually, it means that 20% eventually manage to contribute.

20% is more than the 0% we get following your recommendations.  Now of
course, you are also trying to pitch in for a mentor.  I don't see that
as a cureall.  Doesn't harm to try, though.

-- 
David Kastrup