Copyright issues… I have heard this term since high school. I clearly remember my band director getting on to us about making copies of our music and him telling us stories of other band directors in the county for getting and trouble and even loosing their jobs for violating these issues… I always wondered if he were telling the truth or just trying to scare us to not waste his copying paper.I also remember taking composition and arranging in college as a music major. This particular professor had one class session set asside to discuss the importance of copyright issues and protecting you work or compositions. In addition he would tell us about how easy it is to violate these laws innocently.
Then there's the incident in when I was in college when Napster was big on the scene. The was a student on my floor who so being "prosecuted" for pirating and copying so much free music. I'm not sure if that was a rummer or not but I do remember all of a sudden hearing about the guy withdrawing from school. Hmmm….
Well, I never heard the actual definition (if I did I was daydreaming) of copyrights. However, I did know that it was extremely complicated. In week 2 Wimba session, copyright was defined as a permanently fixed work that can be seen or hear and that this work can only be used by the owner of the work. This covers and protects plays, films, books, and music. What I found interesting is that this lasts 70 years past the creators life and 100 years past a company's life, if you will.
Although this sounds simply defined I feel the use of/ permission is the complicated part. I feel that if one uses common sense and caution they can stay safe of breaking any laws.
common sense and the law, particularly when it comes to copyright, are rarely used in the same sentence... but it's a nice thought.
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