Can you explain to us exactely what the MMA is offering in exchange of this money? ... What protection does the MMA provides? <<< MMA provides anti-trust protection. If the major commercial vendors go off in private and work in collusion to influence consumer choice, that is an illegal trust. The trade association gives us a forum to talk among each other, and *everyone* in the industry, with legal protection. I can understand why steinberg and emagic (for example) would prefer to hide a standard war behind closed doors instead of on a public mailling list. <<< Mainly because companies act differently and say different things when they know customers might be watching. Reality of business. -Ron