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  • From: tom poe <tompoe AT amihost.com>
  • To: Community Studios <community_studios AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Community_studios] Newsletter Issue #11: November, 2004
  • Date: 07 Nov 2004 05:18:27 -0800

OPEN STUDIOS: RUNNING BOARD

- - -
The Holidays are upon us, and now is the time for you to visit our
Online Gift Shop:
http://www.cafepress.com/openstudios/
Anatoly Volynets, on behalf of Total-Knowledge.com, at
http://www.total-knowledge.com
has made it possible for us to obtain premier shop status for one year.
The prices are right, and the quality is high. Help support
community-based recording studios around the world, and purchase gifts
for your holidays, today.
- - -
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.
- - -
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.
- - -
NO ENTRIES FOR OCTOBER
- - -
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?

NO ENTRY THIS MONTH
- - -
HOW THEY DO IT:
This on-going series explores potential business strategies and ideas
for musicians, artists, and authors interested in pursuing careers
outside mainstream industry practices.

NO ENTRY THIS MONTH

- - -
FEATURED ARTISTS:

NO ENTRY THIS MONTH
- - -
COLUMNS:
A] Anatoly Volynets - Culture vs. Copyright
Synopsis of Previous Issues

One of the basic points I stand for is that culture and copyright
clash completely. In previous issues, we discussed the nature of
arts, particularly the main law by which they live. In the end, we
found that this law is that of ultimate freedom. Also deliberated,
were licensing in cultural affairs, and relations between arts and
the Self. To develop my standpoint further, I am trying to reflect
on the differences between the two worlds: the one of culture and the
one of civilization.

Discrepancies Between Two Worlds
(The topic began in the previous issue)

Teacher. Go ahead.

Gamma. Who?

Alpha. All right, you go.

Gamma. Thanks... But I lost it.

Alpha. Are you sure?

Gamma. I am, go ahead.

Alpha. All right. There is no such a law that if you
get my recipe you have to tell everybody who you got it
from! You will not advertise me and I don't owe you
anything whatsoever, but you do!

Gamma. Who was talking about a law?

Alpha. Law is reality, isn't it? What are we talking
about if it does not concern reality?

Teacher. This is a new turn in our conversation. We
haven't discussed existing laws yet. We are discussing
relations and discrepancies between the worlds of
culture and civilization...

Alpha. Where do laws belong?

Teacher. Wherever they belong, they change. I would say
that we want to figure out what a law is supposed to be
to ideally fit specifics and relations of culture and
civilization. I think we have to comprehend these
realities before we start talking about law...

Alpha. You never said that.

Teacher. Of course I didn't. Law was not that subject I
was interested in. We can discuss it later, if we find
it suitable.

Alpha. OK, how can we resolve the last question, if we
do not turn to law?

Beta. The teacher said it: we have to figure out what a
law is supposed to be in order to serve...

Alpha. To serve what? Or who? You or me?

Kappa. Or the customers, or the audience, or the
general public, or the country, or... I don't know what else?

Delta. Law is to serve the people and the country. We
have to look at the issue from this stand point.

Teacher. May I narrow this down a bit? Our question can
sound like this: in which case does a law serves Alpha,
and Beta, and our country best? The first case is when
Beta is required to pay royalties for usage of Alpha's
recipe. The second case is when Beta is required to
give Alpha proper attribution.

Alpha. Why not both?

Kappa. True, why not?

Delta. Well, if you ask 'why not,' someone may ask 'why yes?'

Beta. I agree. We have to put forward criteria.

Gamma. We already did. It is the general well being,
including Alpha's and Beta's. If everyone is better off
under a law, that means the law is a just one.

Alpha. How can we judge that?

Delta. We cannot... If we do not try.

Beta. Look, if I have to pay royalties, this
compromises my business and decreases my
competitiveness. I can do everything as good as Alpha
does. I can make meals as fresh and delicious, I can
maintain the premises as comfortable, I can put as much
money in marketing and still I will be in a weaker
position in terms of business: I will have to reduce my
earnings, while Alpha will get additional money from my
efforts...

Alpha. ...Which is absolutely fair, because you built
your business on my recipe!

Delta. The business is built by Beta's effort.

Gamma. Well, it is natural that Alpha wants Beta to
share his money, but what about our criteria? What is
good for people? It is obvious that if two of your
businesses compete in equal conditions, then all of
your customers win... By the way, I recalled my
question. I'll ask it later.

Alpha. Remember, what did Beta offer? He wanted to
advertise me for free! Does this not put me in better conditions?

Beta. Yes, it does. But this will not take money from
my business.

Alpha. Really? This will take some customers from you.
Is this not the same?

Teacher. I see a difference between the two methods. In
the case of royalties, we have to set up and enforce
some artificial measurements to take money from Beta's
business. This becomes specifically questionable, if
Beta gets no profits, his business may die and Alpha
will get no royalties at all...

Alpha. In that case I got rid of a competitor and this
is good.

Kappa. For you, probably. Not for the public.

Delta. I doubt even this is always good for Alpha.

Alpha. And why is that?

Teacher. May I finish?

Alpha, Delta, Kappa. Sorry.

Teacher. ...So, in the case of attribution, when Beta
just honestly says who he learned the recipe from, this
does not necessarily means he loses. He can even gain.

Alpha. And how is that?.. Sorry.

Teacher. That's OK. I'll continue. When Beta says who
taught him the recipe, he appeals to people's feelings.
Some of his customers would certainly be curious to go
to Alpha's place, but some would admire the fact of the
tribute. Both businesses get in more solid relations
with public in general...

Kappa. By the way, Alpha can also tell who learned from him.

Alpha. Aha, sure...

Delta. Why not? This certainly adds credibility to your
business...

Gamma. Two times, by the way: firstly, it implies that
the recipe is worthy, because it gets followers;
secondly, if you are not afraid to name a competitor,
this means your business is that strong that you are
not afraid.

Kappa. I like this! A shared recipe benefits everybody,
even when attribution is given!

Beta. _Because_ attribution is given! Not 'even when,'
but 'because!' This is how things differ in culture and
civilization! If Alpha wants my money, we both can
lose! When we share ideas, we both win! This is how it
works! This is how they are different! I never expected
it turns out this way! This is terrific!!!

Gamma. Wow! I've never seen Beta so excited!

Teacher. Me neither.

Kappa. It is good he didn't jump on the desk, like
someone else sometime ago...

Teacher. Gamma, what about your question? Are you still
keeping it?

Gamma. Aha.When you cook some exotic meal, a lot of
different ideas, inventions, are techniques are used, right?

Teacher. Definitely.

Gamma. What about all those?

Alpha. What about them?

Gamma. What about them? Think for a second. If you want
royalties from Beta, thousands of other people may ask
for royalties from you! What do you think?

Delta. So everybody will have to sit down and calculate
royalties day and night and do nothing else.

Gamma. And this will make no sense at all.

Beta. And then they'll forget about the royalties one
day, stand up, and go about their business normally.

Kappa. People, I have a declaration to make: People
have to share ideas in order for civilization to exist!

Alpha. Impressive... I have one proposition and one question.

Teacher. Go ahead.

Alpha. Thank you. The question goes first. Suppose, I
go with attribution. What about those thousands of
ideas now? Do I have to sit down and write down all
ideas I use, to conduct a research to determine their
authors and then to attach tons of paper with
references to every single menu, plate, napkin and so
forth?.. Now, here is my proposition. Beta does not
have to pay royalties all life long, but for some
limited time. How about that?

Kappa. In the beginning or later?

Gamma. How much later?

Alpha. Who knows, what happens later?

Kappa. OK, Alpha, so you want royalties at that very
time when it is the most difficult for Beta, right?

Alpha. But for a limited time! A business is always
difficult in the beginning, anyway!

Kappa. Then let it be even more difficult, right?

Alpha. Why should I care?

Teacher. We agreed on some criteria, remember?

Delta. I remember and I remember that essentially we
reached some conclusion: free sharing of ideas plus
honest attribution boosts businesses, competition and
thus, benefits everybody!

Gamma. Yes, and why would we look for anything else?

Beta. Well, Alpha can argue that profits reward
businessmen efforts and benefit the public in the
end, but how then is creativity itself rewarded?

Gamma. By attribution, how else? You created it. People
who use it, honestly say so. Everybody knows you and
your role in the invention, and recognizes your impact...

Delta. People call or write to you, invite you to give
lectures...

Alpha. Me?

Kappa. Ah, Alpha, you! Do you like that more?

Alpha. What's more? More than what?

Teacher. There were two options.

Alpha. I told you, I'd like both. Everyone would, I'm sure.

Gamma. Well, ok, then we won't ask you. We'll turn to
the criteria of public good instead.

Alpha. All right, you haven't answered my question,
remember? In the meantime, I have something else to
tell you all. Gamma rightly said that it is very
natural for me (and I believe it is so for everyone) to
wish for both: royalties and attribution as well.
Therefore, if you don't give me all I want, I wouldn't
like it! Then if I come up with yet another recipe, I
will not reveal it whatsoever!

Kappa. And what is the point? What will you get?

Alpha. I'll have my monopoly over it -- that's what
I'll get. I'll not have competition -- that's what I'll
get. My business will grow -- that's what I'll get. And
that's it -- and nothing else! What do you think?

Delta. You will have to put money in marketing.

Alpha. So?

Delta. So? If you don't have big bucks for that, forget
about growing.

Alpha. Really? And what is my other option?

Delta. Another option? I am going to tell something
really new: reveal your recipe in exchange for attribution.

Alpha. Ah, it is new. And?

Beta. And what? Haven't we discussed it all?

Kappa. Yea, Alpha, haven't we?

Alpha. You probably did, I probably wasn't here.

Teacher. Alpha, you were here.

Alpha. All right, I am stupid, can anyone repeat it for
me one more time?

Kappa. Alpha, you are not stupid.

Alpha. I'm not?

Kappa. Nope.

Teacher. I agree with Kappa.

Alpha. So?

Beta. So, you repeat yourself what we concluded earlier.

Alpha. You concluded?

Beta. Yes, we, I, Kappa, Gamma, Delta, our Teacher and
with your participation... And if you disagree with the
conclusions, explain why.

Gamma. Yes, Alpha, please. You can do it.

Alpha. I can... if I want.

Teacher. Why wouldn't you want it?

Gamma. Yea, Alpha, why? We are not enemies here, we
just have different ideas.

Alpha. Exactly. Different ideas we have, we do.

Gamma. Well, I believe they all deserve some respect...

Alpha. And I displayed disrespect, right?

Beta. I would say so. You don't even want to repeat
others' ideas. How would you call this kind of attitude?

Teacher. It is interesting, really.

Alpha. It seems like tricks and games to me...

Teacher. Why?

Alpha. OK, does anyone want to repeat after me?

Beta. It is not that I want to, but I can, if you wish
me to.

Teacher. Yes, Beta, please do. Let it be our first
summary today. Do you mind, Alpha?

Alpha. (Shrugs)...

Beta. OK. Some inventors would like to get attribution
and royalties from every business using their
inventions. This seems to be fair and will reward
creative work. Thus, it becomes more attractive for
people to invent and to reveal their inventions to the
public. Did I tell everything, Alpha?

Alpha. (Shrugs)... There is one more point. You cannot
give attribution for every single idea you use. This is
why I proposed to do it for a limited time, say ten
years. After ten years of public use, an idea becomes
common knowledge and attribution is not necessary any
more. Then business use of the idea does not require
attribution any more and you don't have to collect
zillions of references.

Teacher. Very good, Alpha. We have all of your ideas
summarized now and it is your turn. Please, make a
summary of Beta's ideas.

Alpha. I had to fix what Beta said about my ideas,
anyway. I believe, he will summarize his ideas better
than me.

Teacher. I cannot insist, although I am sure this
exercise would be very helpful for our deliberations.
If we all know, that in the end of the day we have to
do summaries of each others' ideas, we will pay more
attention to what everyone says.

Alpha. I remember everything all of us said. I just do
not feel like I want to repeat after Beta.

Teacher. OK, anyone?

Beta. I can try.

Gamma. I can.

Teacher. Let us go with Gamma.

To be continued.

Topics to be covered after the present one: Economics of Culture,
Hypothetical cases (alternatives for modern creators), Related Issues
(Comparison of different monopolies and their impact on societies:
casual monopolies, monopoly over mass media, communism, copyrights,
and patents)

Anatoly Volynets, Board member of Open Studios, and President of
Total-knowledge.com, will continue his thoughts next month about the
copyright implications on culture. You can contact Anatoly at:
av AT total-knowledge.com
***
This article licensed under Authoright:
http://www.culturedialogue.org/
***
Literary editing by Alexandra Volynets
***
- - -
COMMONS GALLERY BEST OF THE BEST:
The Creative Commons Project offers musicians, artists, and authors a
nifty way to meet their legal needs for licensing their works for
distribution across the Internet. If readers discover interesting
material that sports the Creative Commons tag, let us know, and we'll
link it here. Attach your photo with your suggested link, to be added
to the gallery. Let's spread the word!

NO ENTRY THIS MONTH
- - -
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.
- - -
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:
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NOTE: Check our wish list for contributions we need:
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- - -
Licensed as Public Domain with the Creative Commons Project, August 1,
2003.
- - -







  • [Community_studios] Newsletter Issue #11: November, 2004, tom poe, 11/07/2004

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