by Ric Erickson

Number 2.01/2.02:- Metropole Paris - Monday, 6. January 1997:- This first issue of 1997, will carry the double issue number of 2.01/2.02. I am burned out and the 'hosts' at WebFrance International are taking a little break, so the second issue of the year, which would normally appear on a screen near you next week, will not. For reasons of continuity, I am calling this issue number 2.02 as well as 2.01.

In December, the garbagemen, the firemen, and the postal people came by with calendars as 'presents' and I 'donate' something for them in return. It is the only time I see the garbagemen all year, it is the only time I want to see the firemen all year - but I see the postal people all the time. The result is, I have three 1997 calendars.

You can see above, the issue date is the 6th of January. Since each Monday is the seventh day following the previous issue date, and today is only the 6th, then this must be the first issue of the year, and... [cut out 200 babble-words here]...

After our little rest, the issue that follows this one, Metropole issue 2.03 will appear on Monday, 20. January 1997 as usual, and the issue number will correspond to the previous week's number of the year, which is three.

Internet Copyright Issues Settled

I have long ago lost the recent original report about the recommendations of the World Intellectual Property Organization - WIPO - study and deliberations about copyright issues concerning the Internet. I do remember the reported recommendations however, because they were pretty simple.

WIPO recommended in effect, I seem to remember, that the existing provisions of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1886), should be considered to apply equally to the Internet. Although the Berne Union Conventions differ slightly from those of the Universal Copyright Convention (1952), the fundamental rules of both are identical.

The formalities are simple. 'Berne' says authors' protection requires no formalities of any kind, and the UCC position requires a copyright notice such as the following: 'Erickson©1997,' although a mere '©1997' is sufficient.

Except for specific exceptions, all of Metropole Paris is Erickson©1997.

It only means I am the author of everything you see and read in Metropole - unless otherwise noted that is - and I am, therefore, owner of the copyright.

When you look at and read Metropole online - for there is no printed version - your 'browser' application makes a copy of the digital files you consult, and saves them to your hard disk. This is not - according to the committee's thinking - an illegal copy. It falls within the 'fair-use' definition.

If you have another application that can convert these 'cached' files so that your browser is able to access them offline - that is, directly from your own hard disk copy - this copy of Metropole is not illegal, and you owe me nothing. This is also 'fair-use.' It is like making a photocopy of some published work, for your own private use.

What is illegal is also pretty simple. If you take the above copy of Metropole on your hard disk and remove my name from it, and substitute your name for it - and then sell it for money as if it were your own creative production - then that is called simply, robbery.

If you are doubtful about what 'robbery' means, you should consult a lawyer.

Although the delegates from 128 countries to the World Intellectual Property Organization meeting agreed to the - two - global treaties treating copyright on 20. December in Geneva, their countries still have to incorporate the provisions into their national laws.

Left unresolved, is the question of liability of the Internet Service Providers. Are they responsible for the content hosted on their servers; or should they be treated like telephone companies - not held responsible for the content of messages between correspondents?

My preference is that the ISPs should not be responsible for content they have not authored.

To Tide You Over - Some Coming Events

Opening of the Musée de la Musique

On Saturday, 18. January - see collections -4500 musical instruments - from the Renaissance until today, that illustrate the sum of western musical history, popular music and music from around the world. From 12:00 to 18:00: on Fridays from 12:00 to 21:30, and on Sundays from 10:00 to 18:00. Closed Mondays. Musée de la Musique 221, avenue Jean-Jaurés, Paris 19. Métro: Porte de Pantin; bus 75 or PC. Tel. 01 44 84 44 84.

35th Salon de la Marine

This Salon of 200 'official' and amateur nautical paintings runs at the Musée de la Marine until 23. February. Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, except Tuesdays. Entry for adults: 38 francs Half-price and children: 20 francs Musée de la Marine Palais de Chaillot, Métro Trocadéro. Paris 16. For information, Tel. 01 45 53 31 70.

Decors d'Opéra

Take a time voyage from the 17th century to our days through decors done for the Opéra. 135 models, sketches and photos. Until Sunday 2. February; from 10:00 to 17:00 Opéra National de Paris, Palais Garnier Place de l'Opéra, Paris 9. Métro Opéra. Tel. 01 47 42 07 02.

Expolangues