Reply to Harold and Brian

Harold writes:
> I also would not expect the Institute of Sonology to invest in making
> the Clavette more available. BUT, it would not be unreasonable to expect
> the Institute to allow me to sell the original version of the Clavette
> at perhaps 10% above cost, and then split the 10% with the Institute,
> since according to Dutch law they hold all patent rights to it. Such an
> arrangement would cost the Institute nothing.
> But no, despite ever-tighter budgets, such an arrangement holds no
> interest. Yes, I suppose the Institute would not get rich off of it, but
> even if they got a few hundred guilders they could buy something
> worthwhile for the studios.
> Maybe the disinterest has to do with the politics of receiving government
> subsidies. I suspect similar thinking is at work at STEIM.

No, receiving government funding does not prohibit other sources of
income for non-profit organisations.

And Brian writes:
> Harold Fortuin has already built one, but it's unclear whether his
> licensing agreement with STEIM will let him commercialize it, and it's
> even more unclear whether STEIM gives a damn about driving the cost
> down on the clavette and pumping these things out by the thousands.
> Probably not.

Whether STEIM gives a damn may be unclear, but Brian seems very
optimistic about the market size for Harold's Clavette.
The matter is that the Clavette is based on the Sensorlab developed at
STEIM, so the Royal Conservatory wouldn't just be able to put it on
the market on its own, or grant Harold the rights even if it wished so.
Then STEIM has made it clear about a year ago that this foundation
doesn't have the financial means to make any products ripe for the
market. The Sensorlab would need to be enhanced, it cannot measure
velocity at the moment, the software needs improvement, and the
original developer has left a long time ago. Working with the
Sensorlab in its current form is therefore only feasible for people
doing a project at STEIM. So it would just mean an investment that
can't be done. Expecting that STEIM gives away its rights to Harold is
not feasible I suppose.
Anyway these are the reasons as I understand them. There must be
better technical solutions possible. Harold and anyone else who looks
for them deserves encouragement.

Manuel Op de Coul coul@ezh.nl

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Date: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 08:23:02 -0800
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