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www/philosophy dat.html


From: Yavor Doganov
Subject: www/philosophy dat.html
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:01:05 +0000

CVSROOT:        /web/www
Module name:    www
Changes by:     Yavor Doganov <yavor>   10/04/21 11:01:05

Modified files:
        philosophy     : dat.html 

Log message:
        Avoid empty abbr/acronym elements; no abbr in <title> (RT #563743).

CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/dat.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.15&r2=1.16

Patches:
Index: dat.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/philosophy/dat.html,v
retrieving revision 1.15
retrieving revision 1.16
diff -u -b -r1.15 -r1.16
--- dat.html    11 Sep 2009 21:12:02 -0000      1.15
+++ dat.html    21 Apr 2010 11:00:49 -0000      1.16
@@ -1,135 +1,127 @@
 <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
 <title>The Right Way to Tax DAT - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation 
(FSF)</title>
 <!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
-<h2>The Right Way to Tax <abbr title="Digital Audio Tape">DAT</abbr></h2>
+<h2>The Right Way to Tax DAT</h2>
 
-<p>
-by <a href="http://www.stallman.org/";><strong>Richard Stallman</strong></a></p>
-<p>
-<em>
-[This article was published in Wired magazine in 1992; the text has
-not been changed, but notes in square brackets  have been
-added (with these notes
-emphasized for those browsers that will display emphasized text).]
-</em></p>
+<p>by <a href="http://www.stallman.org/";><strong>Richard
+Stallman</strong></a></p>
+<p><em>[This article was published in Wired magazine in 1992; the text
+has not been changed, but notes in square brackets have been added
+(with these notes emphasized for those browsers that will display
+emphasized text).]</em></p>
 
-<p>
-<em>
-[Another approach initiated by Francis Muguet, which includes
+<p><em>[Another approach initiated by Francis Muguet, which includes
 some of these ideas, is called <a href="http://mecenat-global.org";>
 Global Patronage (in French, M&eacute;c&eacute;nat Global)</a>.  I
-support both solutions; that is to say, I favor adopting either one.]
-</em></p>
+support both solutions; that is to say, I favor adopting either
+one.]</em></p>
 
-<p>
-   Record company magnates don't like the digital audio tape recorder
-(<abbr>DAT</abbr>), which can make perfect copies of musical
-recordings.  They fear that customers will copy music themselves, and
-stop buying prerecorded music.</p>
-<p>
-   Threatening lawsuits, they have obtained from the manufacturers of
-DATs an agreement to pay a fee for each <abbr>DAT</abbr> unit and
-each <abbr>DAT</abbr> tape sold to consumers.  This fee is to be
-divided among various participants in the music business: musicians,
-composers, music publishers and record companies.  In
-addition, <abbr>DAT</abbr> manufacturers have agreed to
-cripple <abbr>DAT</abbr> units so that they cannot make a copy of a
-copy of a prerecorded piece.</p>
-<p>
-   Now the record companies have asked Congress to enact a law turning
-this fee into a tax and prohibiting manufacture of <abbr>DAT</abbr>
-tapedecks that function without imposed limitations.</p>
-<p>
-   The stated purpose of the tax is to &ldquo;compensate&rdquo;
-musicians for copying done by individuals using <abbr>DAT</abbr>s.
-However, 57 percent of the funds collected would go to record
-companies and music publishers&mdash;leaving less than half to the
-people who participate in the creative process.  Most of these
-remaining funds would go to musical superstars, and thus would do
-little to encourage musical creativity.  Meanwhile, <abbr>DAT</abbr>
-users would be unable to make full use of the power of
-<abbr>DAT</abbr> technology.</p>
-<p>
-   Here is a proposal for a different system for
-taxing <abbr>DAT</abbr>s and <abbr>DAT</abbr> tape&mdash;one designed
-to support music rather than cater to vested interests.</p>
+<p>Record company magnates don't like the digital audio tape recorder
+(<acronym title="Digital Audio Tape">DAT</acronym>), which can make
+perfect copies of musical recordings.  They fear that customers will
+copy music themselves, and stop buying prerecorded music.</p>
+
+<p>Threatening lawsuits, they have obtained from the manufacturers of
+DATs an agreement to pay a fee for each DAT unit and each DAT tape
+sold to consumers.  This fee is to be divided among various
+participants in the music business: musicians, composers, music
+publishers and record companies.  In addition, DAT manufacturers have
+agreed to cripple DAT units so that they cannot make a copy of a copy
+of a prerecorded piece.</p>
+
+<p>Now the record companies have asked Congress to enact a law turning
+this fee into a tax and prohibiting manufacture of DAT tapedecks that
+function without imposed limitations.</p>
+
+<p>The stated purpose of the tax is to &ldquo;compensate&rdquo;
+musicians for copying done by individuals using DATs.  However, 57
+percent of the funds collected would go to record companies and music
+publishers&mdash;leaving less than half to the people who participate
+in the creative process.  Most of these remaining funds would go to
+musical superstars, and thus would do little to encourage musical
+creativity.  Meanwhile, DAT users would be unable to make full use of
+the power of DAT technology.</p>
+
+<p>Here is a proposal for a different system for taxing DATs and DAT
+tape&mdash;one designed to support music rather than cater to vested
+interests.</p>
 
 <ul>
-<li>Collect funds with a tax on <abbr>DAT</abbr> machines
-     and <abbr>DAT</abbr> tapes, as the current proposal
-     provides.</li>
+<li>Collect funds with a tax on DAT machines and DAT tapes, as the
+current proposal provides.</li>
 <li>Use a survey system to measure the extent of copying of each
-     musical piece.</li>
-<li>Distribute these funds entirely to the people who create music.</li>
+musical piece.</li>
+<li>Distribute these funds entirely to the people who create
+music.</li>
 <li>Adjust each contributor's share so that it increases more slowly
-     per copy as it gets larger.  This spreads the funds more widely to
-     support a larger number of musicians adequately.</li>
-<li>Make no restrictions on the functioning of <abbr>DAT</abbr>s.</li>
+per copy as it gets larger.  This spreads the funds more widely to
+support a larger number of musicians adequately.</li>
+<li>Make no restrictions on the functioning of DATs.</li>
 </ul>
 
 <h3>What is the purpose of copyright?</h3>
 
-<p>
-   The record industry presents its proposal as a way to
+<p>The record industry presents its proposal as a way to
 &ldquo;compensate&rdquo; musicians, assuming that they are entitled to
 be paid for any copy made.  Many Americans believe that copyright law
 reflects a natural right of authors or musicians&mdash;that these are
 entitled to special consideration from public policy.  However, any
 lawyer specializing in the field knows this is a misunderstanding, a
 view rejected by the American legal system.</p>
-<p>
-   The stated purpose of copyright, given in the U.S. Constitution, is
+
+<p>The stated purpose of copyright, given in the U.S. Constitution, is
 to &ldquo;promote the progress of science and the useful arts&rdquo;.
 Progress in music means new and varied music for the public to enjoy:
 copyright is supposed to promote a public good, not a private one.</p>
-<p>
-   Yet copyright is often thought of as a natural right by laymen and
+
+<p>Yet copyright is often thought of as a natural right by laymen and
 politicians, which often leads to wrong decisions about copyright
 policy.  Even courts, defining the details of the copyright system,
-often let this thought creep back implicitly even though it is supposed
-to be excluded.  This is a conceptual error because it mistakes a means
-(copyright) to a larger end (progress) for an end in itself.</p>
-<p>
-   Promoting progress in the arts does not inherently justify the idea
+often let this thought creep back implicitly even though it is
+supposed to be excluded.  This is a conceptual error because it
+mistakes a means (copyright) to a larger end (progress) for an end in
+itself.</p>
+
+<p>Promoting progress in the arts does not inherently justify the idea
 that authors are entitled to any particular sort of copyright, or even
 that copyright should exist at all.  Copyright is justified if the
 benefits of progress exceeds the burden that copyright imposes on
 everyone except the copyright holder.</p>
-<p>
-   How do we make this cost/benefit comparison?  It depends partly on
+
+<p>How do we make this cost/benefit comparison?  It depends partly on
 facts (how does a particular law affect musical activity and music
 users) and partly on our value judgements about those results.</p>
-<p>
-   Let's assume that it is worth paying a <abbr>DAT</abbr> tax if the
-result is a significant increase in musical activity, and investigate
-how we should arrange the details of this tax in order to maximize the
+
+<p>Let's assume that it is worth paying a DAT tax if the result is a
+significant increase in musical activity, and investigate how we
+should arrange the details of this tax in order to maximize the
 benefit.  But first, let's review basic principles and facts which
 have a bearing on the inquiry.</p>
 
 <h3>Diminishing returns</h3>
 
-<p>
-   The law of diminishing returns is a general principle of economics.
-It states that each additional increment of efforts or funds spent on a
-given goal typically produces a smaller and smaller increment in the
+<p>The law of diminishing returns is a general principle of economics.
+It states that each additional increment of efforts or funds spent on
+a given goal typically produces a smaller and smaller increment in the
 results.  There are exceptions to this law, but they are local; if you
 keep on increasing the inputs, you eventually leave the exceptions
 behind.</p>
-<p>
-   For example, you can make traffic flow more smoothly by improving
+
+<p>For example, you can make traffic flow more smoothly by improving
 roads.  Adding one lane to 20 miles of congested roads in a city might
 increase the average traffic speed by 15 miles an hour.  Adding a
 second lane to those roads will not give the same improvement; this
 might increase the average speed by only 5 more miles an hour.  The
-next additional lane might make no noticeable difference if the traffic
-jams are already gone.  Yet each successive lane will cause greater
-dislocation as more and more buildings must be torn down to make room.</p>
-<p>
-   When applied to the activities of musicians, diminishing returns
+next additional lane might make no noticeable difference if the
+traffic jams are already gone.  Yet each successive lane will cause
+greater dislocation as more and more buildings must be torn down to
+make room.</p>
+
+<p>When applied to the activities of musicians, diminishing returns
 tells us that each successive increase in the income of musicians will
 have a smaller effect on the amount of creativity in music.</p>
-<p>
-   Diminishing returns is the first reason to reject the idea that any
+
+<p>Diminishing returns is the first reason to reject the idea that any
 use of music &ldquo;should&rdquo; be covered by copyright.  There is
 nothing to gain by trying to guarantee owners control of every
 possible aspect of the use of music or to give them a financial stake
@@ -141,8 +133,7 @@
 
 <h3>Trade-offs</h3>
 
-<p>
-   Those with a vested interest in extending copyright start the
+<p>Those with a vested interest in extending copyright start the
 discussion by claiming that copyright &ldquo;should&rdquo; be extended
 as far as it can go.  But the principle of diminishing returns renders
 this claim implausible.  So they fall back on the position that
@@ -151,22 +142,22 @@
 trade-offs.  Copyright imposes costs and burdens on the public, like
 any other government project.  The benefit may not be worth the
 price.</p>
-<p>
-   Government fills many important functions, but few would say that any
-one of these functions should be expanded to maximize output.  For
+
+<p>Government fills many important functions, but few would say that
+any one of these functions should be expanded to maximize output.  For
 example, governments build roads, and this is very useful.  But few
 leaders would advocate building every road that could be built.  Road
-construction is expensive, and citizens have other uses for their money.
-Too much concentration on building roads means that other social and
-individual needs will be unmet.</p>
-<p>
-   The same considerations apply to individual decisions.  By spending
+construction is expensive, and citizens have other uses for their
+money.  Too much concentration on building roads means that other
+social and individual needs will be unmet.</p>
+
+<p>The same considerations apply to individual decisions.  By spending
 more money, you can buy a bigger and fancier house.  Most people would
 prefer the more expensive house, all else being equal.  But given
-finite resources, at some point spending more on a house becomes a poor
-allocation of them.</p>
-<p>
-   Copyright does not directly spend public funds, but it does impose
+finite resources, at some point spending more on a house becomes a
+poor allocation of them.</p>
+
+<p>Copyright does not directly spend public funds, but it does impose
 a cost&mdash;a loss of freedom&mdash;on every citizen.  The wider the
 scope of copyright, the more freedom we pay.  We might prefer to
 exercise some of our freedoms rather than trade them away.  We must
@@ -175,197 +166,183 @@
 
 <h3>&ldquo;Incentive&rdquo; is the wrong concept</h3>
 
-<p>
-   The idea of providing a monetary incentive for making music is based
-on a misunderstanding.  Musicians hope primarily for other kinds of
-reward; they must.  Very few musicians get rich from their music; a
+<p>The idea of providing a monetary incentive for making music is
+based on a misunderstanding.  Musicians hope primarily for other kinds
+of reward; they must.  Very few musicians get rich from their music; a
 talented person whose primary goal is wealth would seek it in other
 ways.</p>
-<p>
-   In fact, psychological studies show that the desire for an extrinsic
-reward (such as profit) generally hampers creative activities such as
-writing music.  The people who can do them well are usually those who do
-them mostly for their own sake.</p>
-<p>
-   This is not to say that musicians don't care about being paid.  Most
-hope to make a living from music so they will be free to devote their
-time to it.  As long as they earn enough to live, they will make music
-as best they can.  We might wish them to earn somewhat more than just
-enough, so they can live as well as most Americans.  But to offer them
-wealth beyond this gains the public little&mdash;it is a matter of
-diminishing returns.</p>
-<p>
-   With this understanding, let's consider how a tax
-on <abbr>DAT</abbr> tape could be designed to serve the intended
-purpose of copyright.</p>
+
+<p>In fact, psychological studies show that the desire for an
+extrinsic reward (such as profit) generally hampers creative
+activities such as writing music.  The people who can do them well are
+usually those who do them mostly for their own sake.</p>
+
+<p>This is not to say that musicians don't care about being paid.
+Most hope to make a living from music so they will be free to devote
+their time to it.  As long as they earn enough to live, they will make
+music as best they can.  We might wish them to earn somewhat more than
+just enough, so they can live as well as most Americans.  But to offer
+them wealth beyond this gains the public little&mdash;it is a matter
+of diminishing returns.</p>
+
+<p>With this understanding, let's consider how a tax on DAT tape could
+be designed to serve the intended purpose of copyright.</p>
 
 <h3>Who should get the funds</h3>
 
-<p>
-   If the purpose of the <abbr>DAT</abbr> tax is to better reward
-musicians and composers, then all the money collected should go to
-them&mdash;not just 43 percent.  The musicians and composers are the
-ones who truly create the music.  In principle, we could do without
-record companies entirely.</p>
-<p>
-   Record companies do provide a useful service: they distribute
+<p>If the purpose of the DAT tax is to better reward musicians and
+composers, then all the money collected should go to them&mdash;not
+just 43 percent.  The musicians and composers are the ones who truly
+create the music.  In principle, we could do without record companies
+entirely.</p>
+
+<p>Record companies do provide a useful service: they distribute
 prerecorded copies of music, usually of high quality.  This service is
 widely used, and will probably remain so.  And it is right that the
 purchasers of prerecorded copies should pay for this service.  But
 listeners making copies for themselves or their friends do not consume
 this service; they use only the work of the musicians and composers.
-The record companies contribute only incidentally and their role is not
-essential.</p>
+The record companies contribute only incidentally and their role is
+not essential.</p>
 
 <h3>Dividing the funds</h3>
 
-<p>
-   What share of the tax revenues should each musician or composer get?
-The record company proposal would divide the money in proportion to
-record sales.</p>
-<p>
-   It makes sense to distribute the funds based on how much that
-musician's work is copied, more or less.  But strict proportionality is
-not the best apportionment.  If each musician gets a share in strict
-proportion to the amount of copying of his or her music, then a large
-share will go to make a few superstars even richer than they are now.
-This won't do much to promote musical culture or diversity.</p>
-<p>
-   We can promote music more effectively by making any one musician's
+<p>What share of the tax revenues should each musician or composer
+get?  The record company proposal would divide the money in proportion
+to record sales.</p>
+
+<p>It makes sense to distribute the funds based on how much that
+musician's work is copied, more or less.  But strict proportionality
+is not the best apportionment.  If each musician gets a share in
+strict proportion to the amount of copying of his or her music, then a
+large share will go to make a few superstars even richer than they are
+now.  This won't do much to promote musical culture or diversity.</p>
+
+<p>We can promote music more effectively by making any one musician's
 share of the tax revenues taper off as copies increase.  For example,
 we could calculate an &ldquo;adjusted number of copies&rdquo; which,
 beyond a certain point, increases more slowly than the actual
 number.</p>
-<p>
-   The effect of tapering off will be to spread the money more widely,
+
+<p>The effect of tapering off will be to spread the money more widely,
 supporting more musicians at an adequate standard of living.  This
 encourages diversity, which is what copyright is supposed to do.</p>
-<p>
-The US government has already established a program to fund diversity
-in the arts: the <acronym title="National Endowment for the 
Arts">NEA</acronym>. 
-However, <acronym>NEA</acronym> grants involve discretionary power,
-which makes them a center for controversy, sometimes because a few
-members of the public strongly dislike the work, and sometimes because
-hardly anyone particularly likes it.  Spreading out <abbr>DAT</abbr>
-tax revenues will also have the effect of supporting less popular
-musicians.  However, it will not support musicians whose work nobody
-likes.  In addition, since it involves no discretion, no arbitrary
-decisions, there is little room for objection on account of any
-particular case.</p>
+
+<p>The US government has already established a program to fund
+diversity in the arts: the 
+<acronym title="National Endowment for the Arts">NEA</acronym>.
+However, NEA grants involve discretionary power, which makes them a
+center for controversy, sometimes because a few members of the public
+strongly dislike the work, and sometimes because hardly anyone
+particularly likes it.  Spreading out DAT tax revenues will also have
+the effect of supporting less popular musicians.  However, it will not
+support musicians whose work nobody likes.  In addition, since it
+involves no discretion, no arbitrary decisions, there is little room
+for objection on account of any particular case.</p>
 
 <h3>Encouraging home copying</h3>
 
-<p>
-   The record company proposal includes a requirement to make it
+<p>The record company proposal includes a requirement to make it
 difficult for home listeners to make copies.  Specifically, it
-requires that consumer <abbr>DAT</abbr> machines refuse to copy a copy
-that was made on a consumer <abbr>DAT</abbr> machine.  The argument
-for this requirement is based on the assumption that home copying is
-somehow unfair.</p>
-<p>
-   In the past, many people have considered it unfair, because it
-reduced the income of musicians.  The <abbr>DAT</abbr> tax makes this
-reason obsolete.  Once home copying does contribute to the income of
-musicians, through the <abbr>DAT</abbr> tax, the reason to discourage
-home copying disappears.</p>
-<p>
-   Therefore, if a <abbr>DAT</abbr> tax is adopted, the ability to
-copy <abbr>DAT</abbr> tapes should not be restricted.  Home copying is
-more efficient than record companies and record stores; music lovers
-should be encouraged to use home copying as much as possible.</p>
+requires that consumer DAT machines refuse to copy a copy that was
+made on a consumer DAT machine.  The argument for this requirement is
+based on the assumption that home copying is somehow unfair.</p>
+
+<p>In the past, many people have considered it unfair, because it
+reduced the income of musicians.  The DAT tax makes this reason
+obsolete.  Once home copying does contribute to the income of
+musicians, through the DAT tax, the reason to discourage home copying
+disappears.</p>
+
+<p>Therefore, if a DAT tax is adopted, the ability to copy DAT tapes
+should not be restricted.  Home copying is more efficient than record
+companies and record stores; music lovers should be encouraged to use
+home copying as much as possible.</p>
 
 <h3>Measuring the use of each piece of music</h3>
 
-<p>
-   Today, nearly all the recorded music in the United States is
-purchased in record stores; home copying is but a small fraction.  This
-will probably remain true for a long time, because record stores offer a
-place where a person can go to find a particular piece or to browse a
-wide selection.  While this remains true, we can usually estimate the
-audience of a given piece fairly well by counting record sales.</p>
-<p>
-   Eventually, home copying may become so widespread that estimating its
-extent from sales figures may be unsatisfactory.  This is already
+<p>Today, nearly all the recorded music in the United States is
+purchased in record stores; home copying is but a small fraction.
+This will probably remain true for a long time, because record stores
+offer a place where a person can go to find a particular piece or to
+browse a wide selection.  While this remains true, we can usually
+estimate the audience of a given piece fairly well by counting record
+sales.</p>
+
+<p>Eventually, home copying may become so widespread that estimating
+its extent from sales figures may be unsatisfactory.  This is already
 unsatisfactory for musicians who distribute independently without the
-help of record companies; and if any musicians need additional support,
-these are the ones.  We need another way to estimate usage of any given
-piece, in order to distribute the tax funds.</p>
-<p>
-   We can make these estimates by survey.  From time to time, survey
+help of record companies; and if any musicians need additional
+support, these are the ones.  We need another way to estimate usage of
+any given piece, in order to distribute the tax funds.</p>
+
+<p>We can make these estimates by survey.  From time to time, survey
 staff would ask randomly chosen members of the public to show what
 copies they have made of copyrighted music.  The citizens asked would
-not be required to answer.  But no penalty and no guilt would attach to
-having made copies, so most people will be glad to participate.  Fans
-will hope to be chosen so that they can contribute to the count for
-their favorite musical groups.</p>
-<p>
-   To make the survey more efficient and broader-based (and thus more
+not be required to answer.  But no penalty and no guilt would attach
+to having made copies, so most people will be glad to participate.
+Fans will hope to be chosen so that they can contribute to the count
+for their favorite musical groups.</p>
+
+<p>To make the survey more efficient and broader-based (and thus more
 accurate), it could be automated.  The survey bureau could mail
 read-write memory cards to the chosen participants, who would connect
-them momentarily to their <abbr>DAT</abbr> units and then mail them
-back.  With proper design, the survey bureau would have no way of
-knowing who had sent in any particular card, and thus no information
-about who had copied what, but they would still have an accurate
-total.</p>
+them momentarily to their DAT units and then mail them back.  With
+proper design, the survey bureau would have no way of knowing who had
+sent in any particular card, and thus no information about who had
+copied what, but they would still have an accurate total.</p>
 
 <h3>Conclusion</h3>
 
-<p>
-   The record companies have proposed an excellent scheme for taxing the
-public to increase their own income, but this isn't a legitimate purpose
-of copyright.  Through due attention to the ends of copyright rather
-than past means, we can design a system which supports musicians while
-giving citizens full freedom to copy music as they wish.</p>
+<p>The record companies have proposed an excellent scheme for taxing
+the public to increase their own income, but this isn't a legitimate
+purpose of copyright.  Through due attention to the ends of copyright
+rather than past means, we can design a system which supports
+musicians while giving citizens full freedom to copy music as they
+wish.</p>
 
 <h3>What You Can Do</h3>
 
-<p><em>
-[This section is no longer applicable today; it is too late, because
-the <abbr>DAT</abbr> tax was bill was already passed and signed.]
-</em></p>
-<p>
-   Record company lobbyists are working hard to pass their form
-of <abbr>DAT</abbr> tax.  There is little organized opposition, and
-little public debate.  Their bill has already been sent out of
-committee in the Senate.</p>
-<p>
-   This article proposes an alternative to the record company plan.  In
-order for this alternative, or any alternative, to have a chance, we
-must first prevent the hasty adoption of the record company plan.  To
-help accomplish this, please write letters to:</p>
-       
-<blockquote><p>
-     Congressman Barney Frank
-     437 Cherry St
-     West Newton, MA 02165
-</p><p>
-     Senator Metzenbaum
-     United States Senate
-     Washington, DC 20510
-</p><p>
-     House Subcommittee on Intellectual Property
-     House of Representatives
-     Washington, DC 20515
-</p></blockquote>
+<p><em>[This section is no longer applicable today; it is too late,
+because the DAT tax was bill was already passed and signed.]</em></p>
 
-<p>
-   Urge Congress to reject the record company bill so that this and
+<p>Record company lobbyists are working hard to pass their form of DAT
+tax.  There is little organized opposition, and little public debate.
+Their bill has already been sent out of committee in the Senate.</p>
+
+<p>This article proposes an alternative to the record company plan.
+In order for this alternative, or any alternative, to have a chance,
+we must first prevent the hasty adoption of the record company plan.
+To help accomplish this, please write letters to:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<p>Congressman Barney Frank<br />
+437 Cherry St<br />
+West Newton, MA 02165</p>
+<p>Senator Metzenbaum<br />
+United States Senate<br />
+Washington, DC 20510</p>
+<p>House Subcommittee on Intellectual Property<br />
+House of Representatives<br />
+Washington, DC 20515</p>
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>Urge Congress to reject the record company bill so that this and
 other alternatives can be properly considered.  It takes just a few
-minutes to write a short letter, but in combination with other people's
-letters it can do a great deal of good.</p>
-<p>
-   If you know any musicians, composers, or songwriters, give them
+minutes to write a short letter, but in combination with other
+people's letters it can do a great deal of good.</p>
+
+<p>If you know any musicians, composers, or songwriters, give them
 copies of this article.  Many musicians prefer this alternative to the
-record company tax plan, and they are strongly motivated to act on their
-concern.</p>
+record company tax plan, and they are strongly motivated to act on
+their concern.</p>
 
 <p><em>[The article above was published in Wired magazine in 1992.
-The record company <abbr>DAT</abbr> tax bill was later signed into law
-by President George &ldquo;read my lips&rdquo; Bush.  Although this
-was shortly before the 1992 election, little attention was paid to the
-fact that he had once again broken his vow not to approve any new
-taxes.]
-</em></p>
+The record company DAT tax bill was later signed into law by President
+George &ldquo;read my lips&rdquo; Bush.  Although this was shortly
+before the 1992 election, little attention was paid to the fact that
+he had once again broken his vow not to approve any new
+taxes.]</em></p>
 
 </div>
 
@@ -374,12 +351,11 @@
 
 <p>
 Please send FSF &amp; GNU inquiries to 
-<a href="mailto:address@hidden";><em>address@hidden</em></a>.
-There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> 
-the FSF.
+<a href="mailto:address@hidden";>&lt;address@hidden&gt;</a>.  There are
+also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> the FSF.
 <br />
-Please send broken links and other corrections (or suggestions) to
-<a href="mailto:address@hidden";><em>address@hidden</em></a>.
+Please send broken links and other corrections or suggestions to
+<a href="mailto:address@hidden";>&lt;address@hidden&gt;</a>.
 </p>
 
 <p>
@@ -396,10 +372,9 @@
 provided the copyright notice and this notice are preserved.
 </p>
 
-<p>
-Updated:
+<p>Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2009/09/11 21:12:02 $
+$Date: 2010/04/21 11:00:49 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>
@@ -407,18 +382,20 @@
 <div id="translations">
 <h4>Translations of this page</h4>
 
-<!-- Please keep this list alphabetical. -->
-<!-- Comment what the language is for each type, i.e. de is Deutsch.-->
-<!-- If you add a new language here, please -->
-<!-- advise address@hidden and add it to -->
-<!--  - /home/www/bin/nightly-vars either TAGSLANG or WEBLANG -->
-<!--  - /home/www/html/server/standards/README.translations.html -->
-<!--  - one of the lists under the section "Translations Underway" -->
-<!--  - if there is a translation team, you also have to add an alias -->
-<!--  to mail.gnu.org:/com/mailer/aliases -->
-<!-- Please also check you have the 2 letter language code right versus -->
-<!-- <URL:http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/IG/ert/iso639.htm> -->
-<!-- Please use W3C normative character entities -->
+<!-- Please keep this list alphabetical by language code.
+     Comment what the language is for each type, i.e. de is German.
+     Write the language name in its own language (Deutsch) in the text.
+     If you add a new language here, please
+     advise address@hidden and add it to
+      - /home/www/html/server/standards/README.translations.html
+      - one of the lists under the section "Translations Underway"
+      - if there is a translation team, you also have to add an alias
+      to mail.gnu.org:/com/mailer/aliases
+     Please also check you have the language code right; see:
+     http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php
+     If the 2-letter ISO 639-1 code is not available,
+     use the 3-letter ISO 639-2.
+     Please use W3C normative character entities. -->
 
 <ul class="translations-list">
 <!-- Czech -->
@@ -426,9 +403,9 @@
 <!-- English -->
 <li><a href="/philosophy/dat.html">English</a>&nbsp;[en]</li>
 <!-- Spanish -->
-<li><a href="/philosophy/dat.es.html">Espa&#x00f1;ol</a>&nbsp;[es]</li>
+<li><a href="/philosophy/dat.es.html">espa&#x00f1;ol</a>&nbsp;[es]</li>
 <!-- French -->
-<li><a href="/philosophy/dat.fr.html">Fran&#x00e7;ais</a>&nbsp;[fr]</li>
+<li><a href="/philosophy/dat.fr.html">fran&#x00e7;ais</a>&nbsp;[fr]</li>
 <!-- Dutch -->
 <li><a href="/philosophy/dat.nl.html">Nederlands</a>&nbsp;[nl]</li>
 <!-- Chinese(Simplified) -->




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