This section is a focus for news about the workings of
AMPLINEX, corrections to items in previous issues, and other small items of
information which might otherwise be missed amongst the details of each issue.
Contributing to AMPLINEX
A feedback note from Diccon Maude ask us:
"If a contribution to AMPLINEX is not in the next issue
do we have to submit it again, or is it kept for use later?
What is the situation for music (or questions even) that you
do not think good enough, as the contributor does not know if his/her music
will be put in a later issue?"
In general, all contributions to the 'Questions and Answers'
and 'Advertisements' sections are placed in the next issue (assuming they arrive
by the submission deadline). 'Hints and Tips' are usually published immediately,
but some might be held back to enable them to be published with other, related
contributions (e.g. this issue's ROM compatibility feature).
Contributions to the 'Features' and 'Utilities' sections are
more difficult to plan as they often involve several (sometimes large) files
and disc space is limited. Instrument definitions are collected and published
intermittently.
The number of contributions to the 'Music' section has
enabled us to maintain high quality as well as offer variety. For each issue
all the music contributions to date are considered - so a piece may appear
several issues after it was contributed.
So, if a contribution does not appear immediately there is
no need to submit it again. If for some reason you do not want a piece which
you have contributed to be published - just let us know and we will not
consider it for publication.
Copyright in music contributions
Pete Holdroyd writes
"I think I'm correct in believing that arrangements are
copyright the arranger, though it is usual to acknowledge the composer of the original
music. Perhaps you could clarify this?"
Since our agreement with MCPS (the Mechanical-Copyright
Protection Society) we are able to publish in each issue a limited number of
music programs whose author is not the music copyright owner. This agreement
covers the both compositions and arrangements which are still in copyright.
Because it is not always clear (or easy to discover) whether
a particular piece is in copyright or not, it is good practice to acknowledge
the composer (and arranger if applicable) of any music which is not your own.
If we receive music which is not credited and we are in
doubt about the copyright position we will not be able to publish.
AMPLINEX and CEEFAX
Since the previous issue of AMPLINEX we have been
experiencing some difficulty in our discussions with the BBC's CEEFAX service.
As you may know we planned to provide AMPLINEX-sponsored
material for their Telesoftware transmissions starting in the autumn and hoped
to be contacting the authors of the first selection of material in August.
Since then, however, we have been waiting to receive a copy
of the special licensing agreement which the BBC were drawing up for use with AMPLINEX.
The BBC tell us that their contracts department is having
some difficulty in clarifying the status of broadcast music software and are
currently in discussion with the MCPS about this.
In the meantime we would like to extend our invitation to
all members to let us know (via a Feedback note) what they consider to be the
best music programs we have published over the past year (AMPLINEX issues 001-006).
Nominate as many or as few as you like and we will try to reflect your
collective judgement in any future selection we offer to CEEFAX.
AMPLE by phone
In the 'Update' section of AMPLINEX 006 we mentioned that,
for a future AMPLINEX feature, we would like the experiences and comments of
members on services such as Music City and DCT which provide AMPLE programs and
information via a modem. The response so far seems to indicate that almost no
AMPLINEX members use these services!
This seems a little hard to believe, so we are re-issuing
the appeal for your comments on the features and benefits offered by these
services and on the costs and equipment involved.
AMPLINEX M06 music disc
A note from G H Richardson asks why we didn't use the second
side of the AMPLINEX 006 disc for the accompanying music disc.
Firstly, we would have needed to know which members have
access to a double-sided disc drive. Secondly, the music disc was prepared in
advance of the main magazine in order to avoid a doubling of the editing and distribution
effort.
As the cost of the extra discs was small this seemed a
better solution.
AMPLINEX membership
A note from Richard Bettis asks us whether the membership of
AMPLINEX has changed much over the past year.
The answer is yes. The first issue of AMPLINEX in September
1987 was distributed to about 25 people; by the end of 1987 we were publishing
about 75 copies and this issue should be going to about 125 people. The number of
people who have become members of AMPLINEX is rather larger than these figures
suggest, but not everyone subscribes to each issue.
Finally, please continue to send us your ideas for improving
the workings or contents of AMPLINEX. We want the magazine to do what you want
- so if it doesn't, let us know.
Also, please let us know if you spot an error or omission -
you may be the only one who has noticed.
Published in AMPLINEX 007, September
1988
