I am very impressed with the direction this "issue" is taking. Although I did not agree with all the complaints, I think they had a positive effect.

"Dear Yamaha Keyboard Users:

Thank you for your input and questions via messages on this Group
Site and e-mails to us in response to our announcement on Yamaha
Style Files posted on January 28, 2002. This message is intended to
clarify important questions that were raised and to elaborate on our
position on the use of Yamaha Style Files.

Users are entitled to use internal style files of Yamaha keyboards
(Yamaha Style Files), in which we own intellectual property rights,
so long as such use falls within personal use. Further, users
(including professional musicians) can use Yamaha Style Files in
public performance to the extent that it is within the scope of
regular use with melodies played on them. Musicians are welcome not
only to give public performance on Yamaha Style Files in concerts and
over broadcasts but also to record such performance on a recording
device for commercial and non-commercial distribution.

Yamaha does not intend to claim rights over Yamaha Style Files
modified by users in a creative manner. You may exchange such
modified style files on this Group Site.

Needless to say, style files created independently by users or those
converted from styles made by other manufacturers to be compatible
with Yamaha keyboards are not subjects of this matter. Neither
original user styles nor converted styles that are originally another
manufacturer's are Yamaha's properties.

Where Yamaha has an issue is the dissemination of Yamaha Style Files
without modification or with immaterial modifications by posting and
downloading them over the Internet.

Before we developed the Style File Format (a patented technology)
which achieves the compatibility and transferability of Yamaha Style
Files with and to our other keyboard models, we had to start with
primitive accompaniments and spend many years conducting research and
making significant investments. In order to create Yamaha Style
Files that can evoke certain musical styles (e.g., Bosa Nova and
Samba), our uniquely talented musicians handcraft music data as
intro, main, fill-in and ending, specifying series of musical notes
and their tonal quality, volume and other elements in conformity with
the Style File Format. As you can tell, we invest significant
resources in technological development and actual creation of Yamaha
Style Files; this is why our efforts and investments are protected
under various intellectual property rights, including copyrights.
Needless to say, Yamaha does not claim intellectual property rights
over the concept of "styles" or style names such as "Cha
Cha," "Bosa Nova" and "Samba."

Apart from internal style files in Yamaha keyboards, Yamaha also has
the same concern with style files sold as Yamaha Style Disks and
those which are packaged with our keyboards as CD-ROM's. They
should be treated the same as internal Yamaha Style Files.

As promised in our last notice, we are currently considering several
methods of making Yamaha Style Files available for use on our
keyboards. We are reviewing the possibility of allowing downloads of
Yamaha Style Files from our official web site for free or for a small
fee. Details are currently being discussed and it should be launched
in the near future. Among the messages we received, we found many
that requested availability of Yamaha Style Files incorporated in
older Yamaha keyboards. We intend to agree to the exchange of older
Yamaha Style Files at this Group Site among its members in a manner
to be notified, with the understanding that Yamaha reserves its
intellectual property rights in such Style Files.

We will continue to support our products with the copy and edit
features of Yamaha Style Files even after this incident, keeping
faith in our users' sense of responsibility.

Yamaha recognizes that the Internet has changed everyone's lives.

This is precisely why we need to have rules that are fair and
equitable in the new era. We believe that the positions we have
expressed are consistent with such requirement.

We again appreciate your keen interest in Yamaha's products. We
hope this message has addressed some of your important questions and
concerns.

Very truly yours,

Yamaha Corporation
yamahastyles@yamahacorp.com"

Well , it's never to late for a company or person to learn . Yamaha is making an effort to state it's case and communicate with their clients . It's good to see !
Thanks for sharing this info Cliff .

On another note about Yamaha . I have been involved with submitting a BID for teaching lab systems for the City of Baltimore . We presented a quote and in turn received the BID paper work from the City of Baltimore . This BID consisted of 96 Yamaha PSR225GM keyboards and Teaching labs system .
I received an email from my GC Yamaha rep saying that Yamaha was not going to permit GC to sell the Teaching Lab system .
Yamaha said that " only authorized Clavinova dealers could sell the Teaching Labs " . The City of Baltimore is asking for keyboards ! NOT CLAVINOVAS .
I had to put up a fight with Yamaha .
The local Clavinova dealer in Baltimore does not sell portable keyboards . SO ....How would the City of Baltimore get the products they requested ?
After careful consideration .....Yamaha reversed the decision ! Dano

[This message has been edited by DanO1 (edited 02-24-2002).]

Good news
GJ

Now that is fair and square. I liked their assurance here:

"Musicians are welcome not
only to give public performance on Yamaha Style Files in concerts and
over broadcasts but also to record such performance on a recording
device for commercial and non-commercial distribution."

Dan, I hope Yamaha realizes that you kept them from shooting itself in its corporate foot!

Cliff,
It really was quite a breakthrough for Yamaha policy .
Up until my situation , Yamaha had been denying permission for a MI store to make BIDS ! This could open up a whole new thing ! This quote is big ! I hope I win it ! dano