How often do we (a School) *NEED* to update MuseScore...?
(Posted as a member of an IT Support Team - not a User of MuseScore, nor a Musician!)
Hi all,
Some time ago, Music Teachers at this school requested MuseScore be installed on a fairly large number of PCs that might be used by Music Students. Since then, there appears to be continuous requests (demands!?!) to update it to the very latest version, which can be very time consuming. The cited issue is typically because a Student has downloaded and used the very latest version of MuseScore at home, and then says they have an issue when they bring the Data file that they've saved, into school, and try and open/edit using the School version (which might be a minor version behind the latest).
I would usually expect that perhaps a Major Version of a Software Product may introduce new File Formats, such that, for example, V3 won't open V4 files, which of course requires the upgrade. But we're being asked to update from, for example, v4.2 to v4.4, which I would term an Update (within a Version) rather than a Upgrade (between Versions).
Minor versions are usually restricted to patching security issues, fixing bugs and product optimisation, rather than the introduction of new Product Features, or changes to File Formats, that actually force a user to update.
So can I ask the community the following questions:
- Does anyone know if it's mandatory to update minor versions? For any/whatever reason? For example, will V4.2 open V4.4 files? Will V4.4.1 open Files saved in V4.4.2..?
- What are the absolute consequences of not updating to the latest version - i.e. if I'm running V4.2, and someone sends me a V4.4 file. Can I open it? What might be missing from the file, or how "disadvantaged" am I in still using V4.2 to open/edit/save that file (if it can be opened in V4.2)...?
- Can an instance of MuseScore be configured to Save Files in an earlier (minor) version as Default? (can't seem to find anything in V4.2.0)
- Does anyone know of a page on MuseScore, or indeed on any 3rd party Website, that perhaps performs File Format conversion between major and minor versions..??
- Does anyone know whether MuseScore publish a Policy on their update and upgrade paths (i.e. what changes between them), and perhaps an explanation at to their versioning syntax...? (couldn't find one with a quick search)
All mentioned Versions above, are supposed to just be examples to highlight them simply being different to each other - but I'm really after generic information for whenever 2 different versions are involved...
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Comments
With Mu4 basically every minor version introduces a new file format. As much as I hate this, that's the way it is.
But see https://musescore.org/en/faq#faq-367692, on how to open newer scores with older MuseScore versions (and note that my MuseScore 3.7 Evolution opens all Mu4 scores)
Whatever version you're using, make sure that you're at least on the latest patch release of that minor version
With MS4 being in such a state of flux, especially regarding the file format, I would use MS3.7 Evolution.
• MS4 has better audio than MS3
• MS3 has more score writing features than MS4 and is more stable
• MS3 has much lower hardware requirements
• MS3.7 can open MS4 scores
MS4 is not a direct update of MS3, it is a rewrite from the ground up. It was originally called MuseScore 4 but was renamed to MuseScore Studio 4. I think that the rename should've been to MuseScore Studio 1 to emphasise that it really is a first generation product. MS3 has reached its third level of maturity and is highly reliable.
Students at home could use both versions as they can run side-by-side but, presumably, the school could specify MS3 file format as its standard, (until MS4 settles down).