How to copy, the right way

This blog is information about copyright and fair use I gathered from this great website.

Copyright is a legal tool that gives the creator of a work the right to control how that work is used.  The point of copyrighting is to give some incentive to the authors and artists to create new works.

So, what can be copyrighted?

• books
•  websites
• journals
• works of art
• songs
• photographs

example copyright from the site 

To be eligible to be copyrighted, it must be fixed somewhere.  This means that it must be somewhere permanently.  It is fixed if it is on paper, online, an audio or video recording.  The work must also be original.  However, the work may have bits of unoriginal work in it.  Building off of others’ work is allowed.  Lastly, the work must be minimally creative.  It only needs to be slightly creative to be considered.

So what does it mean to be copyrighted?

• Copies cannot be made of the work
• Copies cannot be sold or distributed
• Preparations of new work based on that work are not allowed
• If the work is a stage play or a performance, that work cannot be performed

What is fair use?

Using the work fairly, without violating the copyright.

There are fair ways to use a work that has been copyrighted, after all, the purpose of a creative original work is to advance society and knowledge.  It mostly boils down to common sense; don’t copy too much of a work, don’t distribute that work, certainly don’t sell copies of a work or tickets to a show with a copied screenplay.

Helpful rules for TPTE 486:

Fair use of online information:

•  Credit the source, if there is no author, credit the organization.
• If the author or website provides guidelines for using the information, follow them. 
• If feasible, ask the copyright holder for permission.  Always keep records of the request and confirmation of permission.