Karl Jonsson’s Weblog

Steve Vai Threatens Fans

I just stumbled across the site GuitarBT today. The site distributes “backing tracks” submitted by users. Seems like a great idea, but obviously not quite legal when the songs are copyrighted. A backing track is simply a re-recording of a song without vocals and/or some of the instruments, in the case of GuitarBT typically without the guitar parts. Such a track is usefull for guitarists who can then instead play the guitar parts themselves, for fun and to improve their playing.

Unfortunately the site has just received a cease and desist letter from one of my favourite guitar players, Steve Vai. Well, it was from his lawyers of course but if they are acting by themselves he’s at least guilty of not keeping an eye on them.

I haven’t heard the backing tracks in question (I’m not quite ready to play Vai’s guitar parts anyway) but if they’re anything like the other tracks on the site then yes, they are most likely infringing on Vai’s copyright in the compositions. But why bother? Even if it’s suggested in the comments at GuitarBT that Vai plans to release backing tracks himself I cannot see these amateur creations (sorry guys, and remember, I haven’t heard them) competing with the real thing?

Waiting for Maiden, again :-)

Waiting for Maiden, again

Originally uploaded by jonsson.

METAL!

GPLv3 Launched Today

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today released version 3 of the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL), the world’s most popular free software license.

iSummit07

Yesterday was “Legal Day” with all the lawyers working on the national CC licenses. Today the public conference starts. A BIG thank you to all the people, and companies, who donated the money for the scholarships.

Creative Commons Switzerland Launch

The Swiss Creative Commons licenses will be launched today at the Tweakfest in Zürich.

Congratulations Urs, and everyone else at CC Switzerland!

Perfect 10 v Google

TechnoLlama reports (well, actually reported over a week ago…) some very interesting news from the Perfect 10 v Google case. I’m too tired to write anything else so go read his post or just the following exerpt:

“Instead of communicating a copy of the image, Google provides HTML instructions that direct a user’s browser to a website publisher’s computer that stores the full-size photographic image. Providing these HTML instructions is not equivalent to showing a copy. First, the HTML instructions are lines of text, not a photographic image. Second, HTML instructions do not themselves cause infringing images to appear on the user’s computer screen. The HTML merely gives the address of the image to the user’s browser. The browser then interacts with the computer that stores the infringing image. It is this interaction that causes an infringing image to appear on the user’s computer screen. Google may facilitate the user’s access to infringing images. However, such assistance raises only contributory liability issues, see Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd., 545 U.S. 913, 929-30 (2005), Napster, 239 F.3d at 1019, and does not constitute direct infringement of the copyright owner’s display rights.”

Unsubscribe

We’ve all seen them. The “please remove me from this list” messages from people who cannot be bothered to RTFM. Maybe it’s just because I’m so tired after a long week but I think this one is really funny. With a subject of “opt-out”, the message reads simply:

I don’t want to be on your mailing list I was looking for free porn when I found your site.

Weird Combination?

I’m trying to do some studying and for some reason it feels very strange to read Augustinus to the sound of Master of Puppets… I guess I’m just tired but the combination really makes my head spin.

The Pirate Bay Plans Sealand Purchase

Ha ha, it might be because I’m so tired but I find this absolutely hilarious! The Pirate Bay wants to buy Sealand. The micronation is apparently up for sale and TPB is promising citizenship for donors.

Waiting for Maiden

Waiting for Maiden

Originally uploaded by jonsson.

Scandinavium, Göteborg, right now.