Just out of reach

[Sphemusator]

In the course of things completely unrelated to contributing to IMSLP it occurred to me that there are many composers whose work will not enter the public domain in my lifetime, but I would like to think that the IMSLP will endure, and continue to be an important PD resource.

With that in mind, would it be a good idea to allow/encourage creation of pages for composers whose works are currently protected by copyright, but with a statement to that effect? One possible drawback that I anticipate is that less scrupulous contributors (well, there might be some, might there not? ) would upload regardless of copyright status.

[imslp]

Actually, what you brought up has a funny history behind it.

A few weeks ago I decided that empty composer categories would only make IMSLP seem like it's full of holes, and disappoint expectant IMSLP users (I can just imagine the disappointment after someone clicks on the Shostakovich category).

But after I deleted the categories, people just remade them and submitted all the same. Comparatively, when there is already a page for this composer, and with a warning on top, people seem to heed the warning and not submit any non-public domain files.

So... actually having the composer category there seems to prevent submission, interestingly enough.

[imslp]

Right after that post I was thinking about how to make people not submit non-public domain composers even with no work page, and I hit upon the idea of putting the warning on the Add Composer special page itself (which I did)... and so with this I hope it becomes a non-issue.

[Sphemusator]

My thinking is that if I start a page for a composer whose works are copyrighted, to add a note giving an approximate date when they "should" enter the public domain.

I am still agonizing over the question of whether to release any of my late father's works, and if so, which ones.

[imslp]

My thinking is that if I start a page for a composer whose works are copyrighted, to add a note giving an approximate date when they "should" enter the public domain.

That would actually be a nice idea Maybe I'll try something to that effect when I get some free time.

I am still agonizing over the question of whether to release any of my late father's works, and if so, which ones.

Now this is one question I won't be able to help you with... different families have difference circumstances, so I can't really say :/ I encourage the submission of all new music, because I think that not enough attention is given to it in general. However, again, this is only a very vague guideline, and everyone has vastly different circumstances which may or may not permit this...