Well, OK, it's been a month since I sent two emails to SonicCore about this, one on April 11, and one on April 16. Both of which were ignored. Simply ignored. These were sent to
support@soniccore.de - I know this is a working email address because an enquiry about buying something from them was answered promptly. Here is the email I sent:
Hello,
I am the author of "ArtWonk," an algorithmic music program that can be used with Scope. My program has a feature that allows automated patch changing by MIDI control, and it has the ability to list the patch names if a text listing of them can be extracted. For example, you can use my software to change patches by name from Emu synths, smaplers and software.
I wish to support Scope patches, however most are encrypted. The ones that are simply compressed, which mostly are the effects patches, are no problem and I can extract the patch names from them without problem. What I need is a way to access the text information in other patches, specifically the synthesizer patches.
Can you kindly provide me with the information I'll need to extract the text names of Scope synthesizer device presets?
Thanks much,
John Dunn
Algorithmic Arts
http://algoart.com
Now, I realize the people at SC are going crazy trying to get their new products out the door, so I wouldn't expect a lot of time spent in answering me. But to ignore a request like this from someone who is only trying to make the product more useful is - well, it's something the old CreamWare people would do.
I think Scope and the boards and probably (hopefully) the Xcite box have a great future because they are like fine musical instruments. The sound quality is the best, and as long as they are treated well, given lots of ventilation so they don't overheat and fry, these cards will last a very long time. So I would not hesitate to purchase, or to recommend purchasing, the Scope platform in any of its incarnations.
But I don't have similar expectation for SonicCore as a company - at least at this point they are showing all the paranoia and arrogance that buried CreamWare.
A couple years ago, I was prepared to put a great deal of my time into developing for Scope - but the unprofessional manner in which they treated developers - not giving needed information, ignoring email requests for information, and perhaps worse of all, treating developers as an income source instead of as a product enrichment resource. So far, I have not seen any indication that SonicCore is going to do any better - and that, historically, is the mark of doom for a computer peripheral maker that produces a niche product that requires a strong offering of 3rd party applications.
I really hope SonicCore proves me wrong, and starts treating developers and potential developers and even customers who want to extend the platform such as this Patch Names thread was about, starts treating them like the resource they are, and not as at best a bother and at worse a potential threat. I hope but I don't expect.
Still, Scope is the best, and it will continue to be a great system whether SonicCore survives or not.
