In a message dated 3/18/04 10:42:37 PM Eastern Standard Time, cliff.hayes@earthlink.net writes: << If you really want to see the proposed legislation, you can view it by going to http://thomas.loc.gov/ and in the place to type in the bill you are interested in, put "HR3261", then click on search. >> Read what is really said about the bill in the halls of Congress: http://www.copyright.gov/docs/regstat092303.html ...which includes-- "Accordingly, the Register recommended the restoration of the general level of protection provided in the past under copyright “sweat of the brow” theories, but under a suitable constitutional power, with flexibility built in for uses in the public interest in a manner similar to the function played by fair use in copyright law. Such balanced legislation could optimize the availability of reliable information to the public. I stress --- "Such balanced legislation could optimize the availability of reliable information to the public." --- "In the intervening years, nothing has occurred to change the views of the Copyright Office. We continue to believe that balanced legislation should be enacted that would provide appropriate levels of protection for producers of databases, without unnecessarily impeding the free flow of knowledge and information." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -