The SysEx Librarian Time Warp: Why are we still using software from 1998?

[knob_monster]

Been falling down the vintage synth rabbit hole lately. Picked up a DX7, Juno-106, and a Korg M1. Love the sound, hate the backup situation.

The current options are... weird:

• MIDI-OX (Windows, 1998) - Works, but looks like Windows 98 and I'm on Mac
• Snoize SysEx Librarian (Mac, 2005) - Clean, but macOS only and no cloud
• MIDI Quest ($$$) - Powerful, but overkill for "just backup my patches"
• SysEx files scattered across hard drives - Where did I put that cartridge dump from 2019?

The pain points:

1. Platform lock-in - Buy a new computer, hunt for new software
2. No cloud - Hard drive dies, patches die with it
3. UI from another era - I get it, MIDI is ancient, but does the interface have to be?
4. The battery anxiety - CR2032 in a 40-year-old synth is a ticking time bomb. I want backups BEFORE it dies.

What I ended up building:

Went browser-native with Web MIDI API. Chrome/Edge → any OS. Plug in synth → click backup → cloud storage. One-click recall from any computer.

Works for: DX7, Juno-106, M1, Jupiter-6, CZ-101/1000, Matrix-1000, Prophet-5

The real question:

Is anyone else frustrated with this? Or do you all have robust backup systems I'm missing? What's your workflow for keeping vintage patches safe?

(And yes, before you ask: you can export your .syx files anytime. Not trying to lock anyone in, just trying to make backup less of a headache.)

more info here!