[copyfight]

Sorry, I'm just not sure how boring the nuances of copyright law can be to non-lawyers. It is a big deal to those who are close to it, but this is such a complicated subject that I think is so important to Internet users, I never know where to start. But your comment is really well taken. I don't even know where to begin. I would say there are two big areas concering your future rights: the right to fair use of copyright material without paying first for a license, and the right of artists to have more control over there work in defiance of the recording industry monopoly.

First, I would suggest reading anything on Lessig at http://www.google.com/search?q=riaa+lessig+copyright+ then I would check out one of the best articles on the subject, believe it or not, by Courtney Love: http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/06/14/love/print.html I hope that helps.

[spycatcher]

Another good current Lessig article here... Who's Holding Back Broadband?

[Naked Lunch]

While we're compiling a reader on the subject, dont forget the philosophical and economic underpinnings of open source software vs. buggy proprietary releases. Intellectual property rights gone amok is not only a possible abridgement of consumer rights, it's just darn inefficient.

Here is the link to the definitive paper on the subject by Eric S. Raymond, The Cathedral and the Bazaar

It's been translated into:

* Bulgarian. * Chinese (Big-5). * Danish. * Dutch. * French. * German. * Greek. * Italian. * Japanese. * Portuguese * Korean. * Romanian. * Spanish. * Swedish. * Thai.

So everybody can read in comfort.

[Beep]

I'm not sure I understand what the crux of the flap is about, regarding the music industry. I don't really see how having a relative few computer geek-types burning a song here or there is going to make that big of an impact on songwriters. The money is in performance royalties, not CD sales! I've had one of my songs recorded (by a yucky country music artist who shall remain nameless), and received very little money because it was merely an album cut that didn't rate airplay. ASCAP takes their sweet time in doling out the money as it is; I don't know about BMI or SESAC.

Basically, I'm just wondering what THE big problem is?? I have never understood it. Somebody please enlighten me?!!