liz_marcs: (Reaper2_Banksy)
liz_marcs ([personal profile] liz_marcs) wrote2007-04-05 01:37 pm

The Future of Music from the Cube Posts

Well, whaddya know. My long search for an embeddable music player that will allow you to create playlists and will also be accepted by LJ has finally paid off.

Truth to tell, I'm kind of relieved about this. There have been several emails over the past two months which have made me increasingly wary about offering MP3s for download (the most recent was a most interesting email regarding my post on Marshall Crenshaw — and no, it was not anyone associated with the artist). It appears my Music from the Cube posts have popped up on too many people's radar outside of LJ-land and off my FList.

While no one has threatened legal action (yet), I suspect the day is coming when someone will.

As a result, I have to start considering a limited set of options (in order of preference):

  • Start friends-locking my Music from the Cube posts
  • Create a friends-only community where I Am Queen providing all the posts and the downloads
  • Stop the Music from the Cube posts altogether


Using Imeem to embed a playlist helps me avoid making any of those choices. Number one: There's no chance in hell I'll get dinged for violating any laws since it's streaming media that I (in theory) own. Two: I'll be able to (in theory) provide the entire CD for your listening pleasure.

Now, I'll still offer MP3s for download for mixes and soundtracks, so there's no plans to change that at all. I think if worst comes to worst, I can argue fair use in that case (Can someone familiar with the DMCA let me know if that's the case?). However, if I've got all these Music from the Cube posts with live downloads on top of a various mixes that expire after 30 to 60 days...ummmm...that's gonna be hard to explain away.

Anyway, I'm throwing up a test embedded paylist. Let me know what y'all think:

[identity profile] jgracio.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 07:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, as long as you don't profit from it, it might be okay, but like I've said, I wouldn't be making many assumptions, since copyright laws aren't exactly written with the consumer in mind.

The downloads, quite frankly, I wouldn't do them like you do, not unless the music's in the public domain, or you have permission to make the music available. It's all very complicated, since you're not making the music available, but rather some company is (whoever's behind YouSendIt, etc.), and who knows where the servers are, etc., etc.

I dunno. Lawyers are scary. :)

Anyhow, I think that if you added a counter to your site, you'd be surprised at the number of hits you get. :)

P.S.

Have you seen the Buffy comic?


[identity profile] liz-marcs.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Nope. But I've heard the wanking. Y HALLO THAR SHIPPER WARZ! Man, even the mild threat of Xander/Buffy has some people foaming at the mouth.

It makes my head hurt.