SF.net SVN: jazzplusplus: [535] web/htdocs/documentation/index.php

[<pst...@us...>]

Revision: 535
          http://jazzplusplus.svn.sourceforge.net/jazzplusplus/?rev=535&view=rev
Author:   pstieber
Date:     2008-05-16 12:02:41 -0700 (Fri, 16 May 2008)

Log Message:
-----------
Applied a patch provided by Donald B. Moore and reformatted some content.

Modified Paths:
--------------
    web/htdocs/documentation/index.php

Modified: web/htdocs/documentation/index.php
===================================================================
--- web/htdocs/documentation/index.php	2008-05-16 18:59:34 UTC (rev 534)
+++ web/htdocs/documentation/index.php	2008-05-16 19:02:41 UTC (rev 535)
@@ -20,12 +20,16 @@
 and this portion of the web site is still under construction. This means
 you may not find the answer you are looking for here, and you may also
 find that the platform/OS of your choice might not yet be mentioned here.
+</p>
 
+<p>
 In fact, right now this section may only be of interest to Linux users,
 but do not despair!! The revised documentation for the new 'revitalized' 
 Jazz++ project is in the process of being re-written, and so updates to
 this and other pages of our website are always forthcoming. 
+</p>
 
+<p>
 If you would like to stay informed of updates to this documentation and
 to Jazz++  itself, consider joining our jazzplusplus-updates mailing
 list to receive email notifications of these events. 
@@ -44,20 +48,21 @@
 <h3>Using Jazz++ with Linux on the x86/x86_64 PC</h3>
 
 <p>
-Introduction: Years ago when this project first came to my attention,
+Introduction: Years ago when the Jazz++ project first came to my attention,
 using it with Linux on the PC was a much different proposition to
 what is possible today on this platform/OS. Although it would be
-entirely possible to create a midi score with jazz, (in the same way
+entirely possible to create a MIDI score with jazz, (in the same way
 this text is being produced with a text-editor), the whole point of
-the operation would be to write a midi score you could actually hear.
+the exercise would be to compose a MIDI score you could actually hear.
 </p>
 
 <p>
-Back then with Linux, making sound via midi applications meant having
-midi *hardware*. This may have taken the form of a midi adapter plugged
-in the PC's soundcard gameport (in MPU-401 mode) with a real world
-midi instrument(s) attached to that, or else a midi capable soundcard
-with a hardware based sound synthesis chip to make the actual sound.
+Back then with Linux, making sound via MIDI applications meant having
+MIDI *hardware*. This may have taken the form of a MIDI adapter plugged
+in the PC's serial port or soundcard gameport (in MPU-401 mode), with a real
+world MIDI instrument(s) attached to that, or else a MIDI capable soundcard
+with a hardware based MIDI sound synthesis chip to make the actual sound.
+(so called 'MIDI/synth' capable soundcards)
 In that latter case, the soundcard necessarily had to be supported
 by Linux drivers, and in that respect these drivers were more than
 likely using the now deprecated 'OSS' sound system modules.
@@ -74,11 +79,11 @@
 
 <p>
 The result of these many advances and changes over time, means Linux
-users are no longer constrained by the need of having actual midi
-capable hardware and hardware synthesis chips, to obtain good sound
-production with midi applications like jazz. Instead of having one
+users are no longer constrained by the need of having actual MIDI
+capable hardware or a MIDI/synth capable soundcard, to obtain good sound
+production with MIDI applications like jazz. Instead of having one
 or more hardware sound synthesis chips (be they on a soundcard or
-in a midi musical instrument) to produce the sound(s), we can now
+in a MIDI musical instrument) to produce the sound(s), we can now
 use a software application to achieve the same ends, and many folks
 loosely refer to these software applications as being 'softsynths'.
 </p>
@@ -87,7 +92,7 @@
 For many years now, users with Windows on their PC have had a distinct 
 advantage over Linux users on the PC, because virtually every sound
 card (and/or onboard sound chip) typically ships with proprietary 
-drivers that enable the use of that hardware as a 'softsynth' in 
+Windows drivers that enable the use of that hardware as a 'softsynth' in 
 conjunction with the underlying Windows sound API supports. In
 effect, Windows users could come to the website, download jazz and
 install it, and be making noise in under 2 minutes with very little
@@ -99,22 +104,25 @@
 Hardware based sound synthesis and Linux on the PC: Thanks to all the
 great work done by the ALSA team over the years, Linux now has much
 better driver supports for the various soundcards on the market today
-that have hardware based sound synthesis chips as part of their design.
+that have hardware based MIDI/synths chips as part of their design.
+</p>
 
+<p>
 However, at this point documentation detailing the configuration and
 use of such soundcard hardware with Linux and Jazz++ will be the
 focus of future efforts here. Why? Simply because the majority of 
-people out there on the x86 PC don't have hardware synthesis chips
-as part of their sound hardware. They need to know how to setup a
+people out there on the x86 PC don't have a hardware MIDI/synth soundcard
+as part of their computer's hardware. They need to know how to setup a
 'softsynth' in Linux if they don't have this sort of soundcard or 
-any 'real' midi hardware to hear Jazz++ with...and believe me, this 
+any 'real' MIDI hardware to hear Jazz++ with...and believe me, this 
 will be 80% or more of people out there using Linux and the PC.
+</p>
 
+<p>
 I will however include a section here soon listing all the sound
 cards of this type that are currently supported under Linux, and
 later document configuration details here for use with Jazz++.
 </p>
-
   
 <?php
 require_once('../include/footer.php');


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