Posted by Michael Toomim on June 30, 1999 at 14:56:38:

The ICOMM seems like a good idea at first, but we
should really think about what this would mean. I
would like to first point out that the initial idea was
regarding commercial ripping, not just stupid-fuck ego-
boosting "i made this" bullshit. But then- really is
there that much of a problem right now with people
using scene music for commercial ventures? If, say, a
production video game DOES use scene music, and it is
an obvious rip, it really is not hard for the composer
to prove it in court.

Is there even ANY commercial ripping taking place,
anyway? The only thing I could even come CLOSE to
seeing happen is for a commercial song-writer to sell
a song which contains a ripped sample. However, this
is such a grey area that not only would it be hard for
an ICOMM to do anything, it is totally ambiguous as to
if it even SHOULD.

I must say that I think the idea is VERY cool and quite
intriguing, but it is counter to everything that is
scene. The scene is based upon principles of the
internet- an entity that is without central direction,
an entity that can survive with only one of it's
disparit parts. To form an all-encompassing
organization would prove to be incredibly ackward,
unnatural and difficult. The "mission" of the ICOMM
seemed to be to back up internet musicians whose music
gets exploited commercially. There simply isn't a need
for that. Sceners can take care of themselves.


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