[LAD] Background on the Impro-Visor project

[Robert Keller]

Dear linux-aud-dev list,

Here is a little bit of history on the Impro-Visor project (http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~keller/jazz/improvisor/ 
).

It was initiated in 2005 as a learning tool for jazz musicians, not as  
FLOSS. It used an early version of jMusic, which was GPL, so it became  
GPL. jMusic is only a tiny part of the logic that is involved.  
Heretofore included with the executable, in the 'About' dialog, was an  
email address for questions, which I always thought would include  
questions about how to get the source, although it did not say that  
explicitly.

In considering how to distribute and support the software, I set up a  
Yahoo! group wherein I provided downloads to the members (http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/impro-visor/ 
). This is because I didn't want to reinvent various distributions  
wheels and saw this as an easy way. The members of this group are  
generally musicians, but not computing sophisticates. Some have  
trouble figuring out how to unzip the distribution, or run a jar file,  
for example. They wouldn't know what to do with sourceForge, at least  
as it was back then. So I figured that posting directly source in the  
group itself would just create confusion. The only official  
distribution of Impro-Visor has been through this group.

A year or so ago I received an email from Raymond asking where the  
source was. I think that I provided a download for him, and eventually  
I posted the zipped source and kept it in sync with the revisions. I  
then got a suggestion or two from Raymond, which I decided not to  
accept, for reasons that I had then. Please understand that I am not a  
GPL expert, just trying to 'get along'. However, I don't feel that I  
am obligated to accept every suggestion that someone makes about  
software that is my own. I had not heard from Raymond since then (a  
year ago).

Recently I posted to the impro-visor Yahoo! group a preview version of  
a new version of Impro-Visor, which included installers and launchers  
for the various java platforms (created using a trial version of  
install4j). I realized shortly after that there were some problems  
with some of the new features, so the preview was flawed. I was in a  
hurry to get my plane to a conference where I was presenting work  
involving Impro-Visor. I did not want to post source to a flawed  
version. However, the GPL as I understand it allows one to obtain the  
source by request, rather than having it posted side-by-side. I did  
not have net access for several days, which were reserved for a short  
vacation with my spouse. When I did get access, it was rather limited  
and I could only use gmail. I received a message from Raymond asking  
why the source was not posted. I indicated that did not really have  
time to do a proper posting of the source. For example, I understand  
that I am supposed to provide a compilation script, but I did not know  
enough about configuring ant to include build.xml which would include  
it in the zip. I still have to address that issue. So upon receiving  
Raymond's message, I immediately removed all of the distributions so  
there would not be further cause for complaint. The preview was thus  
up for 3-4 days. This was followed by additional messages from Raymond  
accusing me of intentional violations and making attacks on my  
personality.

Meanwhile, the activities of Raymond Martin, trying to force my hand  
on how I distribute the sources, are very counterproductive. By making  
me 'put out fires', it is taking away hours that could be used to  
produce a proper initial repository. I have contacted sourceForge  
about his posting of sources relating to the project, and they  
suggested filing a copyright infringement (the project is copyright by  
me and Harvey Mudd College).

I really am trying to be a good citizen, and you'll have to excuse me  
for not knowing the ways of your community, which was not the primary  
one intended to be served by this project. While I am quite willing to  
cooperate, I feel that I am being asked to react too quickly. As I  
told Raymond, I need a little space here. As you can see from the tone  
of his messages, he thinks I have to do what I say, immediately, or he  
takes over. It kind of feels like a lynch mob, which I don't feel I  
deserve, because a lot of the thinking that went into the project is  
that of me and my students. I also don't feel that I should have to  
disrupt my vacation and conference in Europe to address his whims.

The project will require TLC to maintain, even by someone knowledgable  
of its structure, because it contains a lot of music theory. By  
forcing things in Raymond's way, progress is being prevented.

I can assure you that I and my students have expended an extraordinary  
amount (100's of person-months) of effort in just making this project  
work. Please be fair to us.

Thanks for understanding.

Sincerely,

Bob Keller

Robert Keller
Csilla & Walt Foley Professor
Computer Science
Harvey Mudd College