Copyright News

[Paul Mather]

John A Swartz writes:

> be some of that going on), but if someone sits down and figures out the
> chords to a song, or the lead line and figures out how to play it on
> a guitar and writes it down, it hardly seems like a copyright violation.

It may not seem like a copyright violation, but it is.  Nobody ever
said copyright law had to be nice, did they? :-)

> Certainly if this person verbally tells another person how to play it,
> no violation is committed.

Certainly??  I'd think again about that, if I were you (for your own legal
sake).

> can access be a violation?  Sheez if I tell you the chords to "(Don't
> Fear) The Reaper" are Am - G - F (well, actually they're playing Bm - A -
> G in concert these days I think - Buck using a capo), what's the big
> deal?

The deal is that the copyright to the composition "(Don't Fear) The
Reaper" is owned by someone, and that copyright includes publishing
it.  If you don't obtain permission from the owner, legally you are in
violation of their copyright.

By your same analogy, there is no difference between a photocopy of a
book and a copy produced by having someone dictate it to you whilst
you type it in.

I'm not saying I agree with current copyright legislation, but
ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law, so I thought I'd point
these things out.

> asset to BOC fans in general, not just in our group.  But, then, perhaps
> based on recent discussions these files are in fact "illegal" (at least
> the way the current copyright laws are written) -- have we actually
> determined that fact?  I guess if they are clearly in violation of
> existing copyright violations, then perhaps Steve is right.  However,
> if it is NOT clear that they are in violation, I believe they should
> stay open.

They are clearly in violation, since express permission to reproduce
them was not obtained from the copyright holder.

> This fucking sucks (yeah, come and get me Bill Clinton),

I agree.  It is somewhat troubling from where we stand.

Cheers,

Paul.

obCD: The Lonely Bears, _Injustice_

e-mail: paul at csgrad.cs.vt.edu                    A stranger in a strange land.