The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #15019   Message #132168
Posted By: M
05-Nov-99 - 10:48 AM
Thread Name: Serious BS: HFA/NMPA Round 2
Subject: RE: Serious BS: HFA/NMPA Round 2
Max,

If this is a public server, available to everyone, then why are they requesting that YOU send them the list of songs? If they can read anything we write, THEY should already have the list of songs in the Digitrad. It seems like they're jerking yer chain. They probably do know what they're doing, but are going about it in a nefarious and possibly illegal manner. And they do NOT care if other people think they're jerks.

Humor me a little...the Digitrad is a virtual library, no? One could conceivably go to a physical library and find all sorts of songbooks, and take them home and copy a/o learn songs from them. The library would not be liable for breaking copyright laws by just having the books. No? Doesn't copyright protect the songwriter/artist's creation form others using it and MAKING MONEY on it? I thought the monetary-gain aspect of it was the point. Would a disclaimer stating that the Digitrad is for personal use ONLY, that one couldn't record these songs without getting permission first, help cover it? I know copyright is a murky area, and I only have knowledge of it in regards to (printed) artwork, so if I am wrong, please correct me.

The advice to stop communicating with them directly is dead on. Find a good lawyer--there are some out there. Good luck.