Design Patent
The definition of a design can be as follows: the characteristics, ornamental or visual, manifested in a manufactured item. The design of the surface visual aspects cannot be separated from the item it has been applied to. It cannot exist by itself. It has to be a specific pattern of ornamentation on the surface of some sort of manufactured thing. (read full article…)
Legal Significance Of Digital Signatures
A cornerstone of United States contract law is the general application of the Statute of Frauds to contractual agreements. Emerging forms of electronic commerce and new types of contractual relationships have begun challenge the very idea of defining the four corners of a contract. (read full article…)
Creative Commons Champion, Ed The Editor!
Copyright according to Ed the Editor
As an on-line satirist it is hard to keep a straight face, but seriously, folks, we strive to abide by copyright laws. In fact, we champion the ethos of Creative Commons licensing and will aim to deal fairly with creators of multimedia material. It isn’t hard to be fair with material that is out in the public domain or exists with some fair and reasonable licensing restrictions, such as an attribution and/or non-commercial license. (read full article…)
The Trademark Dilution Revision Act Of 2006 And Your Online Business
Creating the right trademark that distinguishes your product or service from others is the key to a successful business both online and off. However, one recent legislative enactment is worthy of note, as it might influence your decision in choosing the next name or graphic for your online business. (read full article…)
Understanding Fair Use Rights
What is copyright? Copyright is defined as “The legal protection given to authors which protects them against unauthorized copying of their work.” Copyright infringement is defined as “a violation of the rights secured by a copyright.”
All writers at one time or another have quoted something someone else has written. I see it all the time throughout the writing industry. (read full article…)
Let A Patent Agent Patent Your Invention
Do you have an invention you would like to get a patent for? If so, then you have three choices for going about it. You can hire a patent attorney which is probably the safest thing to do but also extremely expensive. You can go through the patent process your self which will be much cheaper but extremely difficult to do. Or you can hire a patent agent. A patent agent is much cheaper than an attorney but has been specially trained and licensed and is fully competent to take your patent through the legal process. (read full article…)
Legal Problems The Newbie Should Know About
Legal problems can easily sink your internet business before you even begin to swim. Legal requirements abound in the internet arena. It’s your responsibility to get yourself up to speed on these requirements. Ignorance of the law is not acceptable. (read full article…)
Determining Ownership Of Copyright And Software
A fundamental question that arises in many disputes is the most obvious - who owns the copyright in the software? Legal ownership and legal advice in most cases may be determined by reference to fundamental copyright principles. Determining the first owner of copyright is one of the key steps in determining whether a particular form of work under the Act is qualifies for protection in the United Kingdom. The rationale set out below applies equally to photographs, imagery, multimedia works, graphic designs, authored material, and artistic works. (read full article…)
CD Replication: Recommended Licensing Tips And Considerations
So, your band just finished recording their first album and are now looking to get 1000 retail-ready CD’s inside shiny jewel cases, with killer graphics and all the prerequisite bells & whistles for a CD replication project. Good for you and (read full article…)
Demystifying Google’s New Patent
On August 22, 2006, Google’s latest patent (#7096214) was approved. This patent is extremely interesting in light of the recent excitement surrounding social search. The patent if broken down into its most simplistic form states, Google is going to take their existing algorithm and temper it with shared book marking sites and other trust networks. (read full article…)