quote: Original post by MayrelOriginal post by CheeseGrater
I don''t know where so many people get misinformation like this… but in case anyone believes this, the above statement is completely wrong.
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US Code, 17.107
the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright
Clear?
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Scholarship and research, etc are allowing for quotation, I believe. My univeristy made it a practice to pay for ''multiple copies for classroom use'' since students had a habit of taking the stuff home with them, which actually violates this section.
Also, the provisions here are a far cry from the vauge ''educational purposes.'' Thank you for the specifity.
Also note that cloning a game isn''t necessarily a violation of copyright. Copyright doesn''t apply to ideas or procedures, so the way in which a game operates can''t be copyrighted. However, text, images and music can be copyrighted.
And, of course, characters and names can be trademarked, which provides a level of protection beyond copyright. (Which only protects specific works or artwork depciting the character.)
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In the United States, you may not make any unauthorized copies of, well _any_ material that hasn''t specifically been placed in the public domain or otherwise licensed for redistibution. You also may not use anyone else''s characters or logos without permission. No exceptions, no excuses.
This is partly true. It is always illegal to violate copyright. However, in order to claim statutory damages or fees, the copyright owner must register his work with the Library of Congress *before* the copyright infringement.
I thought you could sue without registration, but just for a smaller cash award.
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Well, excepting parodies.
I couldn''t find anything specifically pertaining to parodies, which means that, unless there''s a precedent somewhere, parodies are a violation.
There''s precedent. Parodies are a well-known exception to trademark law. Copyright laws really don''t apply, since parodies are inspired works sharing characters, not word for word copies.
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Finally, many people say that making backup copies of software is illegal, many people say it is legal. The US Code, he say:17.117a
it is not an infringement for the owner of a copy of a computer program to make or authorize the making of another copy or adaptation of that computer program provided: … (2) that such new copy or adaptation is for archival purposes
only and that all archival copies are destroyed in the event that continued possession of the computer program should cease to be rightful.
So, it is perfectly legal to make copies of a computer program for archival purposes, only. ''Archiving'' your software on your website is not legal if you allow others to download it - that counts as distribution.
Backups are provided for in the copyright law, but it''s still questionable wether they can be disallowed in software licenses. (Which they sometimes are, though not all companies do this)