University-based servers for IMSLP (and temporary OP FTP)

[kcleung]

currently are the IMSLP (and the OP project) contents on a
private server or university server?

If we can put these things on the university servers, there is a good
chance that university may put the contents up for free (such as the
university which give us legal advices)

Also since most of our clients are university students or departments,
if our stuff are hosted on university servers, it would also be much
FASTER (50-100x), since universities around the world are linked by a
dedicated fibre network (such as the New Zealand part - KAREN), and
access to IMSLP by universities can become FREE of internet charges if
through KAREN (new zealand) since universities pay a fixed fee for
subscription to this dedicated network.

I strongly believe
that Feldmahler's university (and others universities in Canada) should be more
than happy to host the mirrors.

In this case, the mirror-chooser should select university-based
mirrors if the connection is from a university site.......

Would be be good to begin with:
- making new university-based mirrors
- switching the OP FTP to a university-based site (or adding a university-based mirror for the temporary OP FTP server
- host the IMSLP engine (and webiste) on a Canadian university server

The second point is particularly important if someone can run the logo-stripping process in parallel, because at this time, speed will be limited by download/upload bandwidth.
Moreover, most universities (where powerful multi-core machines used for parallel logo-stripping)are located has a cap on internet usage, but if the server is on a university network, it will not be affected (as universities are not charged)

[imslp]

If there is a university willing to host IMSLP on their server I would jump at the offer at once, but I have not yet found a university in Canada willing to do this. My own college is not in Canada but the US.

Obviously, if you can find a university in Canada willing to host IMSLP, please tell me.

[kcleung]

have you approached the university which gave you legal advice while we were in trouble with Universal Editions? I think that university would also want to get their name onto our project and therefore may be more willing to host IMSLP............

[imslp]

I have indeed. The problem is that while we are clear about copyright issues ourselves, universities are generally hesitant to take on anything except the most obviously legal projects. There is just no benefit insofar as universities are concerned to take up a project that 1) is not produced by them, 2) requires a good server and lots of bandwidth, and 3) is potentially controversial, even if legal. As you know, copyright issues are highly politicized.

[kcleung]

you're right, unless if a university want to *take ownership* of the project as a whole, it will not possible for them to host the site..........
although a convervatory / law school would gain considerable publicity if it takes ownership of IMSLP (or at least inject a considerable proportion of staff representatives into the IMSLP central committee.