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MIDI is not simply a "file format" but rather a technology protocol. The MIDI protocol standard had its original purpose as a way to store and mix electronically synthesized music but by the time the personal computer became popular midi was adapted to a computer format that was already past its time. MIDI was originally a serial protocol that allowed different digital instruments to exchange information and control each other and not specifically created for the personal computer. MIDI is not simply a "file format" but rather a technology protocol. The MIDI protocol standard had its original purpose as a way to store and mix electronically synthesized music but by the time the personal computer became popular midi was adapted to a computer format. MIDI was originally a serial protocol that allowed different digital instruments to exchange information and control each other and not specifically created for the personal computer. MIDI had its purpose and that purpose was not aligned with those wanting a way to trade wave file quality music tracks from computer to computer.MIDI was created around 1983, well before MOD files. It was not created specifically for personal computers whereas MOD files were created for the Amiga computer system by Amiga users. In this a direct comparison between MIDI and MOD is somewhat unfair. However critics of MIDI have existed going back to the 1980s shortly after its introduction. MIDI was designed for electronic keyboards and the designers never had other instruments in mind such as guitars. Although guitar midi pickups exist, it has never sounded particularly well and remains flat. MIDI was created around 1983, well before MOD files. It was not created specifically for personal computers whereas MOD files were created for the Amiga computer system by Amiga users. In this a direct comparison between MIDI and MOD is somewhat unfair. However critics of MIDI have existed going back to the 1980s shortly after its introduction. MIDI was designed for electronic keyboards and instrument control yet the designers never had other instruments in mind such as guitars when considering sound reproduction. Although guitar midi pickups exist, it has never sounded particularly well and remains disappointing to most musicians. If you had a fresh install of Microsoft Windows 3.1 on MSDOS 6.2 you might remember that sample midi files were included with the system as well as a midi player. By this time we were into the 1990s and MIDI was already 10 years old. People were trading music via BBS or the Internet (news groups or IRC) on their dialup connection and they were either trading, for the most part, MIDI files or MOD files. Die hard Windows nerds that were afraid to venture out of their comfort zone stuck to flat sounding MIDI files while the Amiga zealots and PC hackers were all trading MOD files with their sharp sound and unique expression of many popular songs. Neither MIDI nor MOD was a true replication of the original music (such as a wave file representation) but no one could afford to download 200MB of wave file when the MOD file was only a few KB and would fit on a floppy disk if needed. MOD sounded more like the real thing than did MIDI.When comparing the file format of MIDI versus MOD you have to step back in time when they were both relevant as a way to trade music. If you had a fresh install of Microsoft Windows 3.1 on MSDOS 6.2 you might remember those sample midi files included with the system as well as a software midi player. By this time we were into the 1990s and MIDI was already 10 years old. People were trading music via BBS or the Internet (news groups and IRC) on their dialup connection and they were either trading, for the most part, MIDI files or MOD files. Die hard Windows nerds that were afraid to venture out of their comfort zone stuck to flat sounding MIDI files while the Amiga zealots and PC hackers were all trading MOD files with their sharp sound and unique expression of many popular songs. Neither MIDI nor MOD was a true replication of the original music (such as a wave file digital recording) but no one could afford to download 200MB of wave file, for a single Top 40 song, when the MOD file was only a few KB and would fit on a floppy disk if needed. MOD sounded more like the real thing than did MIDI. As time progressed the MP3 format became extremely popular and could loosely be considered a hackers format for trading music that was nearly true to the original medium. Mp3 files sounded close enough to the compact disc they were ripped from that they became all the rage. The only resistance to Mp3 in part came from dialup Internet users that didn't want to wait over an hour to download a single Mp3 and those die hard MOD creators and collectors that just loved the unique sound of MOD. By the turn of the century MOD had all but been forgotten and Mp3 was everywhere mostly due to broadband internet and Napster. It was said that you could rock to MOD while you would only fall asleep to MIDI. Pop music was in the dawn of being traded electronically, the emerging nightmare of the RIAA. Some early copyright music that was popular in MOD format was tracks like Technotronic's Pump Up the Jam and Every Breath You Take by The Police; the latter being without vocals but otherwise sounding like the compact disc version. It was not until the MP3 format became popular that you would hear about RIAA action against audio pirates being reported by the media. Neither MIDI nor MOD was a close enough rendition of these songs to upset the industry at the time. It is not a debate today and no one under the age of 40 even knows what MOD vs MIDI is about. Furthermore, comparing the two as a computer file format doesn't take into consideration the original intent of either. However, if you had a personal computer in the late 1980s or well into the 1990s and you were into music, then you probably had a strong opinion and likely preferred MOD files over MIDI. Many game developers of the day used MOD music tracks for their games. MOD just sounded cool and MIDI was considered lame.As time progressed the MP3 format became extremely popular and could loosely be considered a hackers format for trading music that was nearly true to the original medium. MP3 files sounded close enough to the compact disc they were ripped from that they became all the rage. The only resistance to Mp3 in part came from dialup Internet users that didn't want to wait over an hour to download a single Mp3 and those die hard MOD creators and collectors that just loved the unique sound of MOD. By the turn of the century MOD had all but been forgotten and Mp3 was everywhere mostly due to [[Broadband Internet]] and [[Napster]]. It is not relevant today and no one under the age of 40 even knows what the original MOD vs MIDI computer format debate is about. Furthermore, comparing the two as a computer file format doesn't take into consideration the original intent of either. However, if you had a personal computer in the late 1980s or well into the 1990s and you were into music, then you probably had a strong opinion and likely preferred MOD files over MIDI. Many game developers of the day used MOD music tracks for their games. MOD just sounded cool and MIDI was considered lame.