Free MIDI on the Internet and Stop the harrassment of personal web site operators.
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Author:
n/a -
Send To:
The Congress of the United States, The Music Industry
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Sponsored By:
The Music Relief Association -
More Info at:
We, the people of the World, do hereby petition the United States Congress to lead the world in bringing freedom to the music that is now under copyright protection. Music, that has the power to heal, comfort, bring joy and is unique to the well being of the human spirit, should belong to the people.
The current laws have created a very hazardous enviornment on the Internet.
Napster and MP3.COM continued to make the headlines, but there is another problem of greater scope. We are aware of at least 32 lawsuits affecting the hobbyists of MIDI Music. 23 have been filed in the year 2000 alone. At last check, a search engine displayed 2,000,000 search results on the word MIDI. How many more people are just waiting in the wings to be served?
MIDI is a data stream that instructs an external device to do something. The copyright department states that it is "fixed" and "stable". MIDI is neither by any stretch of the imagination, therefore we believe it is not even a copyrightable object.
We are asking for the following:
1. Innocent Infringement laws must be changed to protect the public, as well as the rights of the owner.
a. If there is "reasonable" belief that innocent infringement occured, the only course of action at that point should be a warning to remove the offending material. If the user does not comply, then it is no longer innocent infringement.
b. If there is "reasonable" belief that innocent infringement occured, and legal action is immediately taken, it must be considered frivolous, and open the suiter to legal ramifications.
c. The two other flaws that exist in the system are economics and geographics. Cases of this nature are so costly to defend that most plaintiffs have no alternative but to default or settle, regardless of guilt or innocence. The plaintiff is also required to travel to the State where the suit was filed. In most cases, this is not reasonable or practical.
2. The Digital Millenium Act (D.C.M.A.) should be declared unconstitional. Site providers allow individuals to operate their own web pages, but the D.C.M.A absolves these providers of any accountability to the content.
3. Any licensing of a MIDI file must be discontinued. Hobbyists are required to pay 7 cents per download. On a not-for-profit web site, this is unfeasable. Very few sites are actually licensed, therefore they are in danger of litigation.
4. A program or system of increasing public awareness on the internet. The laws have not kept up with technology and need to be revisted.
We ask that you make the intent of the law, the letter of the law. Give us the right to sing a song on the street, play our instruments in the park, share music on the World Wide Web, as long as that music is being used
with NO PROFIT being made.
The Music Relief Association
The current laws have created a very hazardous enviornment on the Internet.
Napster and MP3.COM continued to make the headlines, but there is another problem of greater scope. We are aware of at least 32 lawsuits affecting the hobbyists of MIDI Music. 23 have been filed in the year 2000 alone. At last check, a search engine displayed 2,000,000 search results on the word MIDI. How many more people are just waiting in the wings to be served?
MIDI is a data stream that instructs an external device to do something. The copyright department states that it is "fixed" and "stable". MIDI is neither by any stretch of the imagination, therefore we believe it is not even a copyrightable object.
We are asking for the following:
1. Innocent Infringement laws must be changed to protect the public, as well as the rights of the owner.
a. If there is "reasonable" belief that innocent infringement occured, the only course of action at that point should be a warning to remove the offending material. If the user does not comply, then it is no longer innocent infringement.
b. If there is "reasonable" belief that innocent infringement occured, and legal action is immediately taken, it must be considered frivolous, and open the suiter to legal ramifications.
c. The two other flaws that exist in the system are economics and geographics. Cases of this nature are so costly to defend that most plaintiffs have no alternative but to default or settle, regardless of guilt or innocence. The plaintiff is also required to travel to the State where the suit was filed. In most cases, this is not reasonable or practical.
2. The Digital Millenium Act (D.C.M.A.) should be declared unconstitional. Site providers allow individuals to operate their own web pages, but the D.C.M.A absolves these providers of any accountability to the content.
3. Any licensing of a MIDI file must be discontinued. Hobbyists are required to pay 7 cents per download. On a not-for-profit web site, this is unfeasable. Very few sites are actually licensed, therefore they are in danger of litigation.
4. A program or system of increasing public awareness on the internet. The laws have not kept up with technology and need to be revisted.
We ask that you make the intent of the law, the letter of the law. Give us the right to sing a song on the street, play our instruments in the park, share music on the World Wide Web, as long as that music is being used
with NO PROFIT being made.
The Music Relief Association
309 Signatures
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Don Waters
- Comments
- Why don't you people get real!!! I have not seen a mdi site yet that has been paid a penny for the use of thier content. Whats the matter some poor rich dude behind on payments on his Porsche? Why don't you get a life and leave us small time webmasters alone.You probably carry morepocket change than I make in a year. I will not buy another tape or CD from any one again until this stops and I will change midi servers as many times as needed to keep music on my web site. BGSOUND and DODGERDAWG and all the rest of you grea people, I am behind you 100% hang tough so we can free this mess up and let these greedy music mongers know we have a voice.Now a daily Rasberry to the powers that be.....
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Doug Lynch
- Comments
- MUSIC IS FOR EVERYONE
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Free Music for non commericial websites.
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mike traylor
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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John Waters
- Comments
- this is a crock of you know what ....leave the music alone..
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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don lutke
- Comments
- mail me if i can be of more help
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Deborah Williamson
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Jessica
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Giles Lehto
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes
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F.Pinault
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- no
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Annie Troxell
- Comments
- Stop the harrassment
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes I am
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michael s. smith
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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John coffey
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Claude A. Brown
- Comments
- FREE midi for all
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Debbie Montgomery
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Jennifer
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- YES
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sue
- Comments
- you know the only true good sites are the ones that don't make you pay for enjoyment of music. it is ashame that greed is everywhere especially for the poor ones that cannot afford it but should have it. STOP THE GREED!!!!!! or get off the net
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Janet
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Butch Filter
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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sammee
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Marilyn Rad
- Comments
- Just because I hear the midi does not mean I will not buy the artist music.Midies are not close to hearing the artist.A intelligent person would know that..
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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nada oberlander
- Comments
- they should be open to public
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Jaci Thomas
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Joan Weldon
- Comments
- I find it appauling that we can't have midis...Listening to a midi in no way stops me from buying an album, if anything i'm more likely to buy and artists album.
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Helen
- Comments
- yes to free midis
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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manetta
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Perry Williams
- Comments
- It is an outrage!!!
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes!
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Glen C Perkins Jr
- Comments
- Whats next... bust us for singing on the shitter??
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- HELL YEAH!!
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Angela Graves
- Comments
- I can understand an artist not wanting a recording of their music on a webpage, but a midi? You have got to be kidding! Next we'll be busted for humming in the shower!
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes, absolutely!
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al
- Comments
- It's sad!
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- support
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Melissa Gibbins
- Comments
- bring back the music!!!
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes
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teddy jones
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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suki rose marie
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Angie M
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes - this whole thing is ludicrous!
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Michelle Thielman
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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RANDY
- Comments
- BRING THE MUSIC BACK.....THIS IS A FREE COUNTRY !!!!!!
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- YES.........
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Tara
- Comments
- WHAT ARE THEY GONNA TAKE AWAY FROM US NEXT???
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- YES
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Rose Shenk
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Kevin Morse
- Comments
- I would never pay for MIDI's they aren't worth anything they are poor forms of music anyway. Poor Imitations!
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes
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pookie51 Booth
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes
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Jerry A'Neal
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Joanna
- Comments
- DON"T TAKE AWAY THE MUSIC
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- YES
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Judy
- Comments
- Free the Midis!!
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- no
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claire lamb
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- YES
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Dana
- Comments
- what are they going to take away next??
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Joe dufin
- Comments
- free midi
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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Troy Leven
- Comments
- Come On And Let Us Enjoy Life!!!
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes
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Giuseppina Urbani
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- no
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I.E. Baughman
- Comments
- As a webtv plus user I am deprived of using midis in my signature line which isn't fair.
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- Yes
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robin labanoski
- Comments
- give us our freedom stop big brother fromthe abuse of our rights
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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viola napier
- Comments
- music please...please...please
- Are you Supporting our Boycott in full?
- yes
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309
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