We're very close to having a platform-independent version of the DT with vastly improved search functions. It includes the capability of frequent single-file updating, addition and deletion, which means that "model years" will be a thing of the past.

We haven't solved the tune problem, however. What's needed is a program that will accept SongWright or ABC files (with lyrics), and play them (preferably with a synchronized "bouncing ball" or some such place marker). Preferably (though not an absolute necessity) it should permit display and printing of the score ("dots".) This program could be integral with an on-line DT, or could be a downloadable program to be run at the user's computer, with the DT providing the input tune data only (this would reduce bandwidth requirements at Mudcat's server considerably.)

I know that some of you have worked on this aspect, with varying degrees of success. I'd greatly appreciate hearing about the specifics of what you've done, and how we can adapt it. Remember, please, that the bulk of the users of DigiTrad are not programmers; it's important to make any such program transparent to the end user, who'd really like to click on a link on the lyrics page to hear and see the music.