[linux-audio-user] Re: Re: Legalities

[Bob van der Poel]

Klaus Kosten wrote:
>>   
> Please have a look at www.olga.net

Hmmm, very interesting. I wasn't aware of this before. Thanks for the 
pointer.

My decaying gray cells seem to recall that there was an issue with sites 
with MIDI files ... but if one checks around it appears that there are 
thousands of sites full of copyrighted songs in MIDI. Maybe the problem 
is too large for the poor lawyers? Or maybe it just costs too much to 
send out all these C&D letters.

Honestly, I have no idea of the thinking that goes on with all this.

Not a justification .. but, past experience in the software business has 
led me to believe that lots of folks will "steal" software and/or music 
... but, the majority of those people would never spend their money for 
the same thing ... so, is it really a lost sale?

The other issue which both the OLGA site and this thread points out that 
there is very little case law to fall back on. Lots of "in my opinion" 
and "we don't need to prove this, but you can spend (waste) your money 
on your hobby and try to prove us wrong". IANAL, but I always thought 
that case law was pretty important in figuring out how hypothetical 
cases might be judged.

If I can rant for a moment, I get quite annoyed by the whole *music 
business* which seems to screw artists, reward mediocrity, and promote 
business models which evolved in a very different world. I'm just glad 
(very glad) that I've been able to enjoy music as a passion over my life 
and never needed it as income.

For now I'll just leave my songs up on my site. If I get a C&D I'll take 
them down. No big deal to me either way. And, if I am technically 
breaking a copyright, I'll sleep well knowing that I'm not hurting 
anyone's income :)


-- 
Bob van der Poel ** Wynndel, British Columbia, CANADA **
EMAIL: bob at mellowood.ca
WWW:   http://www.mellowood.ca