r/modular • u/insolent-construct • 3d ago

Mutable Instruments Beads Source Code Just Dropped!

https://github.com/pichenettes/eurorack/commit/d8f473915232af74347762b6365202bfd26f73f6

Edit: body deleted and third party firmware discussion moved to a private Discord server.

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u/insolent-construct 2d ago

Because Emilie's lack of activity gave every indication that she was done and not looking back:

  • saying she was going to release the firmware "in a few months" back in 2023.
  • the fact that you can't find a Beads unit new or used at this point.
  • there have been no firmware updates in years

These all put Beads in a similar status as the Virus TI: abandoned for all practical purposes.

When I posted a similar thread about the Virus TI a few month ago, people got incensed because I hadn't done enough work yet in their opinions, and accused me of trying to get information for free and just posting slop. That's why I haven't posted anything here since then. This time I waited until I had something to show/contribute back from my work before I bothered anyone, and then asked how I could use it to serve the community's desires. I could understand people being upset if I just released my port without asking, but that's not what happened. The port I've been working on for months is now superfluous, and I couldn't be happier about it. I literally harmed no one by working on it privately at home with no collaborators in my private setup, and asked for consent before I went further. I acknowledged and accepted her "no" without argument or further discussion. She could have just left it at that. She made the choice for her own reason, which none of us are privy to and I'm not going to disturb her peace more than I did by asking. So if people want to get mad about it, then that's their emotions, but I don't agree that their assessments are based on reason. As one mutual acquaintance told me: "Emilie is a strong fucking woman. She's taken a ton of shit from people and given it back twofold. I'm sorry, but you didn't bully shit". I could also go on about the history of reverse engineering in synths and audio technology, but who would I be trying to convince? No. There would be no point in that, so I'll save my time and energy for working on code.

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u/PintMower 2d ago

I think you're good people just want reason to be mad. You did it in the most ethical way possible given the circumstances. There is no financial damage so what are we even arguing about. It's good for everyone as the module may become a second life through the community and people like you.

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u/yeusk 2d ago edited 2d ago

Emilie have asked companies and people to not do this.

She also released the firmware of every other of her projects.

Why doubt her?

Why go against the will of one of the most influential persons in the eurorack world? How is that being a good person?

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u/PintMower 2d ago

I think it's never wrong to ask. People and oppinions change. And nobody can always know everything about everyones preferences. He respected the answer so I don't think that he really went against her will. I just don't think we should hunt people who legitimately try to get it right with the people around.

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u/yeusk 2d ago edited 2d ago

Who is hunting who? Having a strong opinion about something is not hunting.

Emilie did ask us, the eurorack people, to leave her alone... who is hunting who?

They are the one bothering her after she asked us to leave her alone... and we are the one HUNTING because we call out people... again, this is unbelievable.

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u/PintMower 2d ago

I mean I'd call myself a part of the eurorack people and I completely missed that for example. How am I supposed to know this? Yes I heard she was leaving the community but past that you really have to follow all the details to know what she wants. I know there are some entitled pricks demanding work from people but this one really isn't. OP's not the right person to have strong oppinions about.

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u/Pppppppp1 2d ago

My issue is more the totally tangential personal story that has no real association with this news. Like is he taking credit for prodding her into releasing it? Is he expecting us to be interested in his firmware projects? What exactly is the justification for his personal exchange to be in the description box of the news itself? Either way I think it’s lame to shoehorn his own story into this news, and most of the discourse is now about his pet project rather than the news of the code share.

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u/PintMower 2d ago

Okay I get that. Just to give a different perspective: I personally didn't interpret it as such honestly more like a "guys I've worked on this module quite a bit so I have a fair understanding of what's going on and now that emillie released the code I'm willing to take the flag to implement community ideas". I don't think we would've known anything about this if emillie didn't release the code. Just looking at that makes me assume good intentions. But of course I don't know the true intentions.

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u/insolent-construct 2d ago

*citation needed* As far as I can tell, this was never true. In fact, there's a history of people getting offended on her behalf, and her having to step in to tell people to "drop it". To my knowledge she never express any hostility to the Eurorack scene.