Marcus Sellner
Introductory to Computers
12/2/13
Copylefts and Copyrights
The idea that humans need to protect their intellectual property has been around for quite awhile. People like to take credit for their achievements. That's why Copyrights emerged, represented by a circled capital C or by a (C). This symbols presence on whatever software or item means that it is intellectual property of the author and copying or distributing of the item or software without the author's consent may lead to legal ramifications. Copyleft, represented by a backwards C in parentheses, means that the item or software is "free" as well as any modified or extensions of the item or software to be free as well. Free does not mean free of cost, but free as in being able to be modified freely. The use of copyleft means that the author surrenders some of the rights that are available under copyright laws, but giving up some of them that would usually be protected by copyright laws.
Copyrights are in place to protect the authors incentive to create. If all the credit and rewards from a program went to someone who wasn't the author, the author themselves would have no reason for creating the program in the first place. However, excessive restrictions due to copyrights will lead to hampering of progress, so there is a limited amount of information that can be copyrighted. Basically, copyrights are in place to credit the author as much as possible while avoiding hampering the spread of the software or idea.
Copyleft works within the copyright system to promote spreading, modifying, and distribution of the software while giving some protection to the author of the work. However, the author cannot claim exclusive rights to a copylefted work. Anyone can work or build upon the work. Copyleft has many benefits, but one main goals is to promote innovation in a work. A problem with copyleft is that the author themselves have to choose to make their work licensed copyleft.
Both copyright and copyleft licensing have their benefits. Copyright licensing allows for due credit and rewards and copyleft allows for creative twists on programs that would otherwise be unfounded. However copyright licensing can be too restricting, haltering the progress of the spread of the program. Copyleft can take away the motivation for creating programs by putting less emphasis on the author and more on the public. But having both types of licensing available is beneficial to society. Having just copyright licensing available would impede modifications and extensions on programs that need them. And having only copyleft would lead to less motivation for creating programs due to lack of credit.
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment