Discussion of all things related to Public Domain

[tom poe <tompoe AT amihost.com>]

OPEN STUDIOS: RUNNING BOARD 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU!!

Remember when cars sported running boards out of practical necessity? 
Most roads back then weren't paved like our roads, today. 

The Digital Age, still in its' infancy, requires the use of electronic
running boards.  People are out there that have never used a computer. 
Most people don't understand how computers work [I just raised my hand],
let alone how to make CD's, DVD's, MP3's, OGG, WAV, and the list goes
on. 

And, in the arts and sciences, from musicians to artists to authors, the
knowledge that recordings no longer requires an expensive recording
studio is restricted to just a few.  This newsletter intends to help
musicians, artists, and authors to step out and enter the Digital Age. 
We'll provide the running board to help you avoid the "mud".  If you're
involved in the arts, we hope you'll join us each month for: 
1]  Entertainment news 
2]  The Community Scene 
3]  How They Do It 
4]  Featured Artists, Musicians, and Authors 
5]  Columns 
         a] Anatoly Volynets - Culture vs. Copyright 
6]  Commons Gallery 
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"Trust everyone, but cut the cards"  -- Who said that? 
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Open Studios continues its registration process with states throughout
the country.  As a nonprofit organization, we seek donations and
contributions from the public.  Many states therefore, require that we
register with them.  Some five states permit registration without fees,
or don't require registration at all at this point.  The rest,
apparently, require fees of $10, $15, up to $80 USD or more.  We view
this process as an important and necessary, if not onerous, burden.  Can
you help?  The full story is at:
http://www.ibiblio.org/studioforrecording/statereg.html .  We call it
our SPONSOR A STATE PROJECT. 
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: 
Each month, we'll highlight a few of the previous month's news articles
(hopefully with active links).  Subscribers and supporters are encouragd
to email us with links you found to be interesting.  We'll add them
here.  It's a good way for collecting an archive you can refer to when
you need it as part of your Internet business strategies. 
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http://media.guardian.co.uk/city/story/0,7497,1098187,00.html
Stanley Gold's letter of resignation to Walt Disney board
Tuesday December 2, 2003 
"It is with regret that I resign effective immediately from the Board of
Directors of the Walt Disney Co. and second Roy Disney's call for the
removal of Michael Eisner as chairman and chief executive."
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http://makeashorterlink.com/?L1BD22CB6
The File-Sharing Debates
By DAVID POGUE
Published: October 9, 2003

 Finally, this intriguing note arrived from a guy who’s both a software
engineer and a musician in two bands: “It’s my belief that music CDs
will soon be given away free. The CD will become promotional material to
advertise a band’s live shows and merchandise for sale. Space inside the
CD cover could even be sold for advertising.

“This will have several results: First, bands will reduce the cost of
producing a CD by making use of the incredible capabilities of your
average digital recording system to avoid the ridiculous hourly prices
that professional recording studios charge. (Next week my band is doing
this very thing.) Self-production will become the norm.

“Second, CDs will become shorter, more focused and released more
frequently. (‘See us on tour next month at these locations! Hear these
four songs performed live!’) Third, bands will perform live far more
often and venues for live music will see a resurgence in popularity.”

>From your mouth to the RIAA’s ear, buddy. "
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http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,61282,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1
Record Label Sings New Tune 
By Katie Dean 
02:00 AM Nov. 20, 2003 PT 
"Loca Records licenses its music using Creative Commons. The
organization offers free copyright licenses to anyone who wants to share
his or her work with the public while reserving some rights. Using these
licenses, Loca Records permits anyone to copy and distribute the
content, make derivative works and sell it, as long as they attribute
the work to the original creator and distribute it under the same "share
alike" license." 
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http://www.computan.com/~fusco/
fusco AT computan.on.ca
"The Visits to Summer: A Christmas Story is an online story with
RealAudio stereo orchestral music excerpts and full-color art
illustrations that you can link to anytime - before you read, during
[using the embedded links], or after."

"For listening to the orchestral music, watch for the Click Here to
Hear! links. You'll need a RealAudio player, which you can download at
http://www.real.com/, and a 28.8 bps modem. You can also see the
illustrations before reading the story or during; the links are here on
the title page and index, and also at locations within the story. And
finally, there is a collection of Thematic Links from this story which
take you to similar or related sites on the web that you can enjoy."
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http://makeashorterlink.com/?D249123D6
Canada to Charge Music Royalties on MP3s
By COLIN McCLELLAND Associated Press Writer
Friday, Dec. 12, 2003

"TORONTO (AP) - The cost of an MP3 player will increase in Canada after
the government's copyright agency decided Friday to charge a tax of up
to $19 per unit to reimburse singers and songwriters."
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THE COMMUNITY SCENE: 
Open Studios works with communities around the country and around the
world to build and operate community-based recording studios.  You can
keep up with the latest happenings by checking this section each month. 
Learn what others are doing, and get ideas for your community. 

Did you know that in the future, grandparents will have refrigerators
with computers on the side, the monitor stylishly displaying files from
the Internet?  Imagine the grandparents, each morning, walking over to
their refrigerator, loading up the day's drawing made by one of their
grandchildren?  Nice, eh? 

We've entered the holiday season.  Christmas is upon us, and this is a
good time to reflect on why we're doing what we're doing.  

For many, Christmas represents a time of tradition, a time for sharing,
of giving and receiving.  The same could be said for community-building
projects.  These projects are designed to bring together people of the
community to share and grow, together.  A project necessarily seeks to
build tradition, to brand its' project so that others immediately
recognize what the project stands for.  

For some communities, the holiday season is the only time of the year
that provide opportunity to generate revenues.  I'm thinking, for
example, of Xmas "towns", sprinkled around the globe.  Quiet, almost
deserted during the off-season, but bustling during the end of year.

What would such a community get out of having a community-based
recording studio?  For starters, a community-based recording studio
would be an interesting way to stretch the community's ability to
generate revenues out across the year.

Musicians and artists would be able to coordinate their recording
schedules to include on-location shoots during the off-season months, as
they prepare CD's, and DVD's, for release in the upcoming holiday
season.  A community that has a community-based recording studio has a
wealth of resources instantly at its' disposal.

A community-based recording studio would provide footage, gathered
throughout the year, and make it available to artists that can't get to
the town, directly.  The community benefits by expanding its' "product
line", to include clips and files and music and interviews and
documentaries, all presented to a worldwide audience.  Everyone loves to
shop for just the right Christmas cards to send out at holiday time. 
Imagine, if-you-will, shopping for just the right multi-media file to go
with your personal CD or DVD for next season?

Send your ideas on what communities that have short revenue sharing
periods can do.
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OPEN STUDIOS:SONG STORM is now in alpha mode, scheduled for January 15,
2004 Launch.  You can take a look at:
http://www.ibiblio.org/studioforrecording/php/playlistphp  .  Please
visit soon, and comment on what features we should add.  SONG STORM is a
project designed to go straight at the RIAA.  Looking for a fight?  Get
on the winning side, OURS!  It's a playlist contest.  Submit your
favorite independent artist song sets, and win a prize.  Sound good? 
Enjoy! 
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OPEN STUDIOS:RUNNING BOARD is available as a loose-leaf binder
subscription for your home or office.  Tastefully done, I might add, to
impress your friends and visitors, or to give as a lovely gift to
friends and relatives.  Help support Open Studios by ordering your
subscription, today.  Visit our online gift shop at:
http://www.ibiblio.org/studioforrecording/onlineshop.html
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To subscribe or unsubscribe to Open Studios email list: 
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/community_studios
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To subscribe to RUNNING BOARD newsletter ONLY: 
send email to tompoe AT studioforrecording.org
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Open Studios home page: 
http://www.studioforrecording.org/
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We're looking for volunteers to work on the newsletter.  Send an email
and let us know what you'd like to do. 
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Won't you help support Open Studios, today?  Please visit our homepage
and click on the DONATE NOW link.  Or, if you prefer, send a check or
money order to: 
Open Studios 
241 Crampton 
Reno, NV 89502-2438 
NOTE:  Check our wish list for contributions we need:
http://www.ibiblio.org/studioforrecording/wishlist.html
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Licensed as Public Domain with the Creative Commons Project, August 1,
2003. 
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