"In a surprisingly short period of time, the United States has evolved from an industrial to an information- and services-based society. Our postindustrial era is marked by rapid technological change in which our ability to reproduce and receive information grows exponentially. It is hard to believe that motion pictures first appeared little more than seventy-five years ago; many of us can remember a time when cable and satellite communications belonged to a hazy future. Who can predict what new information-based technologies lie ahead? From all indications, the communications revolution is only in its infancy.
As the value of communicative expression grows, so does the legal structure that governs the rules concerning its ownership. Products of the mind — informational products — are protected under three areas of “Intellectual Property” law. Patent law provides a limited monopoly for new and inventive products, processes, and designs. Trademark law prohibits product imitators from passing off their goods or services as the products of others. Copyright law protects “original works of authorship.” A separate body of state-created law provides additional protection.
The information industries are critically important to the American economy in its post-industrial stage. The numbers are staggering..." Understanding Copyright Law.
Now in its fourth edition, Understanding Copyright Law continues to provide the necessary background and current doctrine with which to properly analyze copyright problems. The primary focus of this comprehensive text is on the Copyright Act of 1976 and the developing case law in our digital age and networked environment. Copyright law is presented in its institutional, economic and historical contexts. Its relationship with other areas of intellectual property law is explored.
The Fourth Edition of Understanding Copyright Law reflects the case law and statutory developments that have taken place since the third edition was completed in 1999. It incorporates discussions of the “new millennium” case law including the Supreme Court cases New York Times Company, Inc. v. Tasini, Eldred v. Ashcroft, Dastar v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd. Additionally, it covers important post-1999 legislative developments such as the TEACH Act, The Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act (revising the CARP system), and the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act. Further, this new edition reflects the author's reassessment of basic concepts, including: the originality doctrine, the idea/expression dichotomy, the meaning of authorship, and the nature of copyright infringement.
Click the link below for a free download of Chapter 1 of the treatise.