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Welcome to ScorBox! ScorBox.com is a support site for music print-publishing professionals. It is not intended as a support site for music publishing in any other form, be it through sound media (“recordings”) or digital publishing of any other kind.
ScorBox refers to the integration of different pieces of software into one work environment. These are primarily:
- the SCORE music publishing system, as conceived for MS-DOS;
- DosBox, an open-source Windows platform enabling the execution of MS-DOS programs in a Windows environment; and
- Macro Express, a Windows automation tool.
The impetus for ScorBox arose from the desire to enable music typographers to continue working with all components of the Score music publishing system, as originally conceived for MS-DOS. On newer-generation 64-bit computers, this presents an obstacle, as all modules of the Score system are 16-bit applications that cannot be executed natively on a 64-bit platform. The most efficient solution to this problem has been to launch Score modules through DosBox. Once an effective strategy for doing so was devised, the MS-DOS version of Score, by dint of running in DosBox, becomes more integrated into a Windows environment. This in turn enables the creation of new tools, a new interface, and a new command structure for working with Score modules, providing more flexibility and increased functionality through the integration of various programs and procedures into one new working environment: ScorBox.
ScorBox is a work environment, not a stand-alone application.
ScorBox now allows users to work with the Score music publishing system in unprecedented ways. As a result, Score, “the concept,” far from losing relevance in the field of music typography, continues to show its resilience.
The creator of the Score program, Leland Smith, had worked on an implementation of his DOS concept of Score for Windows; the result was WinScore, which he initially made available as “Beta” upgrades to registered users of Score. Despite this welcome development, many DOS Score users were reluctant to make the switch and preferred working with the DOS implementation. After the release of WinScore, Leland Smith withdrew all DOS implementations of Score (essentially, versions 3 and 4) from availability for sale. For “new entrants” into the “ScorBox way” of doing things, this created a dilemma, as they were barred from obtaining a legal copy of the DOS Score-suite, a core component of working within ScorBox. To work within ScorBox legally, users will already have to own a copy of the DOS versions of Score. New entrants, in effect, are therefore constrained to purchase WinScore and are prevented from working within ScorBox.
Despite many requests from different sides to re-release DOS Score (either versions 3 or 4), Leland Smith appeared reluctant to consider doing so. In a way, that was understandable, as he apparently wished to establish the Score concept on the Windows platform. Yet it is doubtful that the continuing release of the DOS Score versions would have undermined that endeavour.
None of that seems to matter now, as sadly, on 17 December 2013, Leland Smith died at age 88, and the future of WinScore, and indeed Score, now is in doubt. As of this writing, his heirs have made no comment whatsoever as to their plans for future maintenance or development of the program. This nonchalant attitude sadly perpetuates the curious unwillingness by Leland Smith to engage in reasonable discussions about provisions to ensure the ongoing maintenance and development of his software suite. Many seasoned, enthusiastic, and committed Score users privately and publicly asked cautiously, friendly, and reasonably for him to provide some insight into his intentions; yet despite the obvious affection and commitment of his loyal user base, Leland Smith failed to offer any kind of statement, despite the consternation this caused among many loyal users and the outright hostility it eventually elicited from others. This was most regrettable, and sadly has indelibly marked the profound legacy Leland Smith left behind.
We would encourage Leland Smith’s heirs to release the source code of the Score software suite, as its commercial potential in its current state is nil. But it is entirely possible that, instead, the entire Score user base will be left in the dark, and that therefore the brilliance of the Score concept will ultimately be lost forever.
Please note that ScorBox.com does not sell any versions of the Score system (either for DOS, or as “WinScore”). ScorBox is intended to be open and free, as an interactive concept to which anyone is invited to contribute and to share ideas and components. To learn more, please browse the site.
To get started working in ScorBox, please review the “DosBox” and “Macro Express” pages for further information.
DISCLAIMER: Note that all tools available on this site are free to download and share. However, there is no guarantee for any of the tools to perform as described, and we are not liable for any damages that might result from the use of any of these tools.
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