Ron Chaplin asked if MP3 copies prevent artists from being compensated.

The organizaton that originally promoted MP3 distribution through computer
connections originally intended for artists to be able to bypass the
"interference" of big record companies. The concept was that listenners
should be able to use the software completly without cost or compensation of
the artists.  The artists envisioned free distribution as primarily a method
to obtain public recognition without expensive industry distribution costs
promulgated by the high overhead industry business system.

Most recently (past few months) the MP3 Group realized that completly
uncompensated artists/producers made little sense and so agreed to work with
the industry to institute a mechanism by which artists and copywright owners
could be compensated. The technical system chosen is to provide an encoding
scheme to MP3 data in such a manner that each "purchaser" of an MP3 recording
will obtain the proper code by purchasing some kind of limited "right to
play" the music. The transactions will no doubt take place with credit card
purchases or subscription schemes to be determined.

The key to the system is the playback device which enables proper codes to be
entered to decode playback as well as the ability to retain public domain "no
code" music which has existed up to this time and can continue to be
available in the future.

Members of the classical music public should be wary of limits of this
technology, for playback quality  better suits the tiny portable machines for
which the system was intended. The highly compressed data which enables MP3
digital code to fit within limited storage capacity does not meet current CD
standards, let alone future DVD, high resolution digital audio.

Bernard Gregoire
Hingham, MA