Open Audio Licence

Subject: Open Audio Licence
From: hesperis
Date: 21 May 01 - 03:58 PM

http://www.eff.org/IP/Open_licenses/20010421_eff_oal_pr.html

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has released an "Open Audio Licence" that supposedly will help Musicians spread selected works over the world, which will supposedly lead to greater name recognition for the Musician, and hopefully to ways of making money.

The only concern I have with it, is that cigarette ads could use my music if it were designated as (O)... or porn movies, etc...
They probably wouldn't want to, but I do want to retain some control just in case...

What do you phoaks think of this?

~*hesperis*~
(PS: I wrote to them asking if there was any way to have a "semi-open" licence... it will be interesting to see what they write back.)

Subject: RE: Open Audio Licence
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 21 May 01 - 04:52 PM

I'm not a lawyer, but quickly reading through it, I don't think that your worries are founded. Indeed it would seem to protect you from that.

You share your music for free, but if someone tries to use it on a commercial basis, then they are in breach of your copyright.

That's at least how it reads to me on first glance.

Ed

Subject: RE: Open Audio Licence
From: hesperis
Date: 21 May 01 - 07:59 PM

No, it means that anyone can use it for any purpose as long as they give you credit as the writer... not even money, credit. They can make money from it even if you can't...

It's basically placing something in the public domain, while you're still alive.

Subject: RE: Open Audio Licence
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 21 May 01 - 08:08 PM

In that case, don't do it.

You have nothing to gain.

You may well have a lot to gain by letting me download your songs for nothing, and telling my friends how good they are.

If your music is good, then you'll benefit.

Letting me spot that your song/tune is the perfect soundtrack for my advertisement/corporate video/porn film, and allowing me to make money out of that is a very bad idea.

Ed