Discussion of all things related to Public Domain

[tom poe <tompoe AT amihost.com>]

Hello:  I represent Open Studios, a charitable organization, located in
Reno, Nevada, USA.  We host a nonprofit project called, SONG STORM, a
model of what we believe future music portals will look like.

Operating from the premise that the computer empowers the individual in
the same fashion as the Gutenberg Press empowered the People, we have
designed a format that allows:
1] Listeners to visit SONG STORM and listen to music recorded by
Independent Artists.
2] If they like the songs they hear, they can click and visit the Artist
Listing to learn more.  
3] If they like what they read about the Artist, they can click and go
straight to the Artist's web site to purchase recordings, buy tickets to
concerts, find out more about the Artist, buy recording merchandise,
join the Artist's Digital Age Fan Club, and interact with the Artist and
other fans, directly.
4] If the listener is a DJ, she can click and contact the Artist
directly, to arrange for material for her show.
4] If the Artist is played on one or more Internet Stations, they can
click and find the Station Listing.  If they like what they read, they
can click and go directly to the Station.
5] If the listener wants a quick review of the Artist's calendar, they
can click and visit SONG STORM's World Mic-Night section.  Here, the
Artist posts their calendars, describing the venues and gigs they'll be
doing in the near future, or venues will list upcoming attractions, etc.

The Independent Artists that join SONG STORM know that all services are
free.  They know that they can license their songs specifically for the
Internet through the Creative Commons Project, and the Authoright
Project.  This makes it easy for the listener to distinguish what they
can, and can't do, with the Independent Artist's music.  They can also
easily contact the Independent Artist to arrange for commercial uses.

The Independent Artists that join SONG STORM know that when they decide
to post one or more of their songs on the Internet, and they also upload
that song to www.archive.org , they can then begin to use P2P networks,
like, gnomoradio.org, sites like, commoncontent.org, the Agnula Project,
Webjay, RadioAid.com, and others, to gain a worldwide audience, and be
assured that their licensing choices are respected.

There is no reason for the lawsuits that are being slung around, as if
there was only one game in town.  It's time for IPC Media to abandon big
corporate thinking, and move to embrace and support the Independent
Artists.  There's some 6 billion listeners in our world, and the day is
coming when most of them will, indeed, be able to choose.  Guess what
their choices will be.  I think a lot of them will like the 10,000 live
concerts and more, featured on archive.org, and I think a lot of them
will like SONG STORM's growing site of Independent Artists and the
Playlists offered.  We have consistently had between 18,000 and 30,000
nonrecursive hits a month.  Not bad for a small group of enthusiasts,
with no money to throw around, eh?  :)
Respectfully,
Tom Poe
SONG STORM
Reno, NV, USA
www.ibiblio.org/studioforrecording/php/playlist.php