Colleges have deployed various tactics over the years to deter illegal file sharing, usually of commercial music and movies, by their students. This month, the U.S. Department of Education will begin crafting regulations that specify strategies, a prospect that is making some campus officials wonder if plans they have already invested in will pass…

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of copyright law as it relates to computer software. The computer industry terminology, case law, and software protection by patents and trade secret legislation are examined, and it is argued that the protection of ownership rights of computer software poses major challenges to existing U.S.…

Discusses legal issues involved in developing and distributing multimedia publications. Examines libel; rights of publicity; and such elements of copyright law as copyright protections and infringements, fair use and public domain policies, and use of ideas and factual materials. Uses a hypothetical multimedia project to illustrate the legal rules…

Three categories of issues about which universities and industry often differ in research agreements are discussed: (1) major philosophical differences between universities and for-profit organizations; (2) complex intellectual property law and regulations of such forms as computer software and biological materials; and (3) differences in drafting…

Reviews copyright legislation; presents guidelines that should be used to determine whether educators' copying procedures or policies are in keeping with the copyright laws. Presents two scenarios wherein teachers are reproducing works for their classes and provides case law citations. (MLF)

This report, prepared by the Office of Technological Assessment (OTA) in response to a request from the House Committee on the Judiciary, examines the rapid and complex technological changes and trends in computer software technologies and their possible effects on the nation's intellectual property system. The three policy issues identified are:…