Copyright and the Law Your Name Goes Here
- Slides: 10
Copyright and the Law Your Name Goes Here
Definition • A copyright provides legal protection to a written or artistic work – Protected work may include: poetry, novels, movies, songs, and software • A copyright does not protect facts, ideas, or systems – It may protect how these items are expressed
Exclusive Rights • A copyright gives its author exclusive rights to the use and duplication of a work for a designated time • The author may sell and/or give up a portion of that right – Give distribution rights to a publisher – Grant movie rights to a studio
Conveying Limited Rights • Software developers convey limited rights to the software through: – End User License Agreement (EULA) grants full use to the software on one computer but prohibits the purchaser from copying, modifying, or selling the software – Site license permits an organization to run multiple copies of the software concurrently
Copyright Infringement • Occurs when a copyright is violated without permission of the owner – Unauthorized duplication or use of software – Unauthorized downloading and/or duplication of songs and movies • The law imposes stiff penalties for copyright infringement • Your school university may impose additional penalties
Software Piracy • Poses a unique problem because of the ease with which it is done. • Illegal duplication of software results in – Higher prices for legitimate licenses – Reduced levels of support – Delays in development of new versions • It’s not OK to borrow your friend’s Office CD for installation on your computer
Using Copyrighted Material • The owner of a copyright may place the work in the public domain. in which case the author is giving everyone the right to freely reproduce and distribute the material • The fair use exclusion to the copyright law allows one to use a portion of a written or artistic work for the following purposes: – Education – Non-profit – Critical review and commentary
Credit Your Sources • Use Microsoft Word to cite your references • Pull down the Insert menu – Click the Reference command – Select Footnote – Click Insert and enter text • Numbered footnotes are placed at the bottom of each page throughout the document • Footnotes are automatically adjusted for subsequent insertions or deletions
Forewarned is Forearmed Individuals who violate U. S. copyright law and/or licensing agreements may be subject to criminal or civil action by the copyright or license owners. THIS MEANS YOU!
For Additional Information • The United States Copyright Web site at www. loc. gov/copyright • The Business Software Alliance at www. bsa. org • The Copyright Web site at www. benedict. com
