[sdiy] electronotes

[Magnus Danielson]

From: Paul Perry <pfperry at melbpc.org.au>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] electronotes
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 11:14:22 +1100

> At 10:43 AM 13/12/02 -0800, J.D. McEachin wrote:
> >Someone wrote:
> 
> >retroactively assert copyright.  Even if the material WAS copyrighted, you
> >are entitled to redraw the artwork and paraphrase the text, 
> .very true....
> 
> >What's sad to me is that, if the experiences of Jim Baen at www.baen.com
> >are any indication, putting the best of the EN material on the web would
> >probably increase sales of the printed back issues.  And it would help
> >DIYers.
> .also very true, it's like those writers that put some of their work up free
> onthe net 
> and then find their sales mysteriously taking off!
> ...
> I'm the first to admit that BH knows 1000 times more thn me about
> electronics & synths.
> And much of what little I know comes from Electronotes.
> 
> i just think it is unfortunate that we have a situation where people are
> scared to 
> put circuits up, because they worry that they are breaking copyright law.
> Perhaps it is time for a cooperative synth circuit redraw site!!

I tell you what...

When Gene Stopp designed the ASM-1 he used designs out of the Electronotes,
with a number of adaptations and refinements. If you look on the ASM-1 homepage
of mine it's apparent. Gene then sent out his handdrawn schematics and text
to those that bought the PCBs. I quite early out tossed up a webpage. I however
chose to redraw Gene's handdrawn schematics. It's all lovely and lots of nice
discussions...

Then, is Bernie Hutchins computer at the university connected to the Internet,
against his will. As part of showing what you can do the technician pulls down
a search engine. Bernie searches on Electronotes and finds multiple hits, some
of them has scanned Electronotes, and one happends to to be the ASM-1 homepage
which (still) openly says that some designs are based on the Electronotes.
Bernie naturally gets furious about people basically ripping off his
Electronotes buissness.

For my own sake it was a pretty shaking experience since prior to that I had
nothing bad to say about Electronotes and Bernie. I had been thinking of
getting them as a long term dreem (woken by Keyboard Magazines "Best Inventions
during 25 years" which is a lovely little cookup of various influences, the
Electronotes just alongside CEMs, ARP 2600, MiniMoog etc.). Then, for me out of
the blue, Bernie sends me an email and accuses me for ripping him off, with
various threats attatched. Having only put up what I was given, for the purpose
of privately promote a Synth-DIY thing like the ASM-1 I fealt quite shaken.
Then, with helps of others, I learned to understand that I could not reasnobly
be ripping him off, so I cooled down. When confronted with these facts Bernie
shut down communications. I tried to offer him the oppertunity to advertise the
Electronotes by putting up one or a few as examples on the web (that's my idea
I might add) with propper reference on where to buy the rest of the
Electronotes. No comment received. Another way of describing that is that I was
offering to use my private webspace to promote a commercial product! That just
to somehow compensate him.

I've still not received a propper excuse from Bernie on the false accusations
I might add. Also, this makes me wanting to buy the Electronotes a very
ambigous issue. On the one hand I still want them for reference and joy of
reading, on the other hand the fellow that supplies them have caused me much
pain and has not straigthened it out. I can understand his reactions, but it is
still up to him to excuse himself for his impropper actions. The ambiguity is
such that I could on a random day order the full set anyway, despite whatever
historic misshapps Bernie and I have had.

This also makes me quite upset when people make Electronote references, since
in an oddball way, I'm denied access. It's not the best of logic, I know, but
that's how it feels my friends.

Another feeling I get from this experience is that IF I get the Electronotes,
then I will be limited by Bernie in how I am allowed to construct and publish
things, since if it even vaugly relates to Electronotes, Bernie wants to gets
his share... of nothing. This is not how Copyright laws actually work, but that
seems not to bother (or at least have bothered) Bernie (now, this is one
interpretation which could be argued correct with the experience I have, not
necessarilly the truth).

A certain friend here at Synth-DIY still has my respect for the discussions we
had back then. We've been at each other backs since, but that is entierly
another issue.

To be clear: I don't say that you should not deal with Bernie. If you feel like
it, please do!

It has been noted that Bernie takes some time to produce the full set. This is
naturally due to the amount of work that has to be performed. Bernie has a
full time job at a university, and if you have worked at a university you have
a pretty good sense that it takes it's tribute. So please be patient! Things
Take Time as it has been wisely said.

Hopefully people can understand why I have mixed feelings with anything
relating to electronotes. I am still feel unsatisfied on how that intermezzo
ended for my sake.

Cheers,
Magnus