Re: Vendor implementation status: Web MIDI API

Your point is quite apt, Robert - although I'd point out that the bulk of
the effort expended by the group on MIDI has been my own, Jussi's, and a
set of vendors (not implementers) who are quite passionate about getting
MIDI implemented.  I can't speak for Jussi; but my own effort has been
motivated by the scenarios I see enabled by the combination of Web Audio
and MIDI, and not intended to derail Web Audio work.  (I originally asked
for MIDI to be added to the charter of a different WG, for example.)

I have to agree that getting Web Audio fully developed is a higher priority
for most of the group, and I would agree that Web Audio implementation
should be higher priority than MIDI for Firefox.  At the same time, I'd
point out that a main reason for that is that MIDI support unlocks a lot of
possibilities in Web Audio; if you don't have Web Audio, having MIDI
support is going to be less attractive, as it limits a lot of scenarios.
 With both, however, you can start taking on serious music production
applications.

As I think Web MIDI is (as it is intended to be) a relatively thin layer on
top of CoreMIDI, Windows MIDI, or even USB-MIDI, a better question is
whether you see it as an interesting scenario once Web Audio is enabled.


On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 6:58 PM, Robert O'Callahan <robert@ocallahan.org>wrote:

> On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 4:03 AM, Olivier Thereaux <
> Olivier.Thereaux@bbc.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> While (per w3c process anyway) it is not necessary that several browser
>> engines implement the spec, we will need two interoperable implementations
>> (libraries, engines, etc) before the spec can reach the more advanced
>> stages of standard maturity.
>>
>
> W3C process aside, if only one engine is going to implement the spec
> there's not much point in spending energy in a standards body writing the
> spec.
>
> I can't say that Mozilla would never implement the spec --- the future is
> uncertain, and a contributor might just appear with an implementation ---
> but the list of things we want to invest in that are higher priority is
> very, very long.
>
> I'm still a little puzzled by the fact that most of the energy in this
> group lately has been directed towards MIDI when it seems self-evident to
> me that Web Audio is far more important and still needs a lot of work.
>
> Rob
> --
> Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the
> Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority
> over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among
> you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your
> slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
> and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [Matthew 20:25-28]
>