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Just like Lar$, the WIZARD would like to make some money. Therefore we humbly suggest you purchase one of these fine items from MASS MEDIA On-Line:
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the existential blues
May 26, 2000
If Lars Ulrich Had Founded America
Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is available in full, on-line as part of a massive project, Archiving Early America. Here you'll find hundreds of rare documents, books, journals, newspapers and images all available for study, research and review in a digitized format.
It is fitting that Franklin's Autobiography appears in this fantastic digital library, for it was Franklin that originated the concept of public library. He called them "subscription libraries" as a small fee was paid to pay for the purchase and upkeep of the books. Members could then freely borrow these books.
In his autobiography Franklin Wrote:
"And now I set on foot my first project of a public nature, that for a subscription library. I drew up the proposals, got them put into form by our great scrivener, Brockden, and, by the help of my friends in the Junto, procured fifty subscribers of forty shillings each to begin with, and ten shillings a year for fifty years, the term our company was to continue."
"We afterwards obtain'd a charter, the company being increased to one hundred: this was the mother of all the North American subscription libraries, now so numerous. It is become a great thing itself, and continually increasing."
"These libraries have improved the general conversation of the Americans, made the common tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries, and perhaps have contributed in some degree to the stand so generally made throughout the colonies in defense of their privileges."
The now famous query of the South Park Gang, "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" caused us to think: What would Lars Ulrich do?
For those who don't know, Lars Ulrich is the drummer for the heavy metal rock group Metallica. And Lars is the leader of a group of musicians and lawyers leading the charge against the copying or trading of music.
Lars has launched an all out attack on his own fans for trading METALLICA'S songs on the Internet. Certainly the idea of someone enjoying one of his creations without paying a hefty up front fee would be unacceptable to Lars. Let's review METALLICA'S drummer's own words for a clue:
Lars has said:
"It is therefore sickening to know that our art is being traded like a commodity rather than the art that it is."
"From a business standpoint, this is about piracy... The trading of such information - whether it's music, videos, photos, or whatever - is, in effect, trafficking in stolen goods."
It seems to the WIZARD, that Lars has pretty well defined what a library does ~ trade information. We just wonder if old Ben Franklin knew he was stealing from the book's authors. Lars would have made sure that every individual bought his own copy of the book before a single sentence was read. If Lars had been a founding father it's unlikely that many Americans would even be able to read.
By the way, Ben Franklin has not yet filed a lawsuit against Archiving Early America. He hasn't requested an injunction to stop reproduction of his creative art. He is not suing for billions. But the WIZARD, fkap will let you know the moment he does. Keep the bottle in front of you....
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Opps! The WIZARD missed an obvious point:
May 30, 2000
A Reader from Birmingham, Alabama Writes, "I visited the library in Homewood, Alabama and found an extensive collection of Metallica CD's that could be borrowed. They have a huge audio library featuring all kinds of music and artists. I don't need to buy or copy a Metallica CD, since all are available for the asking."
Metallica has banned Napster users just for having Metallica on their files, without any proof of trading or copying. They want Napster shut down because the system facilitates illegal copying.
I'm certain every user of the library follows the letter of the law and never, never makes a copy of a CD. But the complaint against Napster is that they create an environment that encourages and facilitates illegal copying.
Doesn't the Public Library create that same environment? Wouldn't you love to see a court fight between Metallica and the American Library Association?
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