MarkEagle
VisorCentral Staff
Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682 |
quote:
Originally posted by rnunnink
When I said I was not sure it was stealing. I still am not sure...
...If I upload or even beam ebook to friend I am technically not breaking the law. Or if I tell others where they can upload I am not breaking the law.
It probably isn't stealing per se... you wouldn't be charged with larceny. It is still illegal.
From the U.S. Copyright Office Copyright Basics page:
quote:
WHAT IS COPYRIGHT?
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of �original works of authorship,� including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:
- To reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords;
- To prepare derivative works based upon the work;
- To distribute copies or phonorecords of the work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;
- To perform the work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
- To display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; and
- In the case of sound recordings, to perform the work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission.
In addition, certain authors of works of visual art have the rights of attribution and integrity as described in section 106A of the 1976 Copyright Act. For further information, request Circular 40, �Copyright Registration for Works of the Visual Arts.�
It is illegal for anyone to violate any of the rights provided by the copyright law to the owner of copyright. These rights, however, are not unlimited in scope. Sections 107 through 121 of the 1976 Copyright Act establish limitations on these rights. In some cases, these limitations are specified exemptions from copyright liability. One major limitation is the doctrine of "fair use," which is given a statutory basis in section 107 of the 1976 Copyright Act. In other instances, the limitation takes the form of a "compulsory license" under which certain limited uses of copyrighted works are permitted upon payment of specified royalties and compliance with statutory conditions. For further information about the limitations of any of these rights, consult the copyright law or write to the Copyright Office.
Technically, even if you own a book, you are not allowed to reproduce it for personal or other uses. All copyright notices contain a statement similar to:
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
As for why the original thread was closed, I need not justify my reasons as they are quite obvious. If you want to discuss the merits (or lack of) of copyright law, fine. If you want to bash people for living up to their obligations, that's another story. If you want to propagate illegal activities, forget about it.
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God bless America, my home sweet home...
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12-02-2001 02:44 AM
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