This is in reply to Karl Schroeder's question in yesterday's MMD
about why band organ rolls and other rolls meant for public performance
when sold can't be played in public for free.

I would say that when a composer licenses his work for use on sound
recordings, whether in the form of records, CDs, paper rolls, or any
other medium, he doesn't care about the ultimate use of the recording,
but under applicable law, he expects and deserves to be recompensed for
his talent.  That is where ASCAP, BMI, and similar royalty-collecting
organizations come in.

Karl's argument that "for coin rolls, the public pays for the
performance" has no meaning for the composer, because the coins go to
the machine owner and to nobody else.

Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York