COPYRIGHT - What does it Mean?

ALL Images,
Text and Original Bead Designs on this website
are Copyrighted -1997, 98, 99, 2000

COPYRIGHT - WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

The Internet has given us all wonderful access to information, pictures, files, games and more - but what DOES it mean if that item is copyrighted??	Can you just make a copy for yourself ? Can you use the words, pictures or files from this site on YOUR site?
Maybe - maybe not! If you aren't sure - please read all of this document!	THE COPYRIGHT ACT OF 1976
BELOW are two important facets of the Copyright Act of 1976 - please read them -and if you want to use MY copyrighted materials, please bear them in mind and make a request first (click here) - this does not guarantee I will grant you use of the images - but I will consider requests. Thank you for your consideration of the law.	The Copyright Act of 1976 made major changes to copyright law - and also simplified it in some ways. At the time that the new law was written - the Internet was only a place for computer geeks - and the issues of mass distribution, copying, downloading and webpage publishing were not even imagined!

Section 102.
Subject Matter of Copyright: in general Section 302. Duration of copyright:
Works created on or after 1 Jan. 1978:

(a) Copyright protection subsists, in accordance with this title, in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now know or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Works of authorship include the following categories:
(1) literary works
(2) musical works, including any accompanying words;
(3) dramatic works, including any accompanying music;
(4) pantomimes and choreographic works;
(5) pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works;
(6) motion pictures and other audiovisual works
(7) sound recordings; and
(8) architectural works.

(b) In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work. (a) In General, Copyright in a work created on or after January 1, 197, subsists from its creation and, except as provided by the following subsection, endures for a term consisting of the life of the author and fifty years after the author's death.
(b) Joint works. In the case of a joint work prepared by two or more authors who did not work for hire, the copyright endures for a term consisting of the life of the last surviving author and fifty years after such last surviving author's death.

SO - what did that mean to you?

Some simple things to remember -
1. Everything is copyrighted at the moment of its creation by the author or visual artist... they do not need to register the work in order to "own" its copyright.

2. Protect your own material - post notices (like the ones you will see on pages from which you found this page) on your Web site - if you REALLY want legal protection and think you might need it - register your works with the copyright office, but normally this is NOT a legal requirement - just makes it easier if you want to sue somebody for infringing your copyright.

3. If you find out someone is infringing (using without permission) - you must let them KNOW that they are using your material.
- you can either give them permission (it is also best to require that a person you allow use - post a notice that you are the owner either marking the item "Copyright, your name, year' - or a comment such as "This copyrighted material used with the kind permission of - your name,"
- or ask them to cease using your images.
If you let people use your images without your consent - and take no action ...they can become "common use" by your de facto failure to require that they have acknowledged your copyright.

4. Understand what is and is not copyright material before you use it. If a website offers free graphics and marks them as "not copyrighted" - great! Have fun with them - but if an image is clearly marked as copyright material - don't use it unless you get permission!

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