Rights issue on CD-Rom

As TLTP products begin to move into 바카라사이트 marketplace, Michael Smith and Nigel Sternberg warn of 바카라사이트 need for licences.

The work done under 바카라사이트 first stage of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England's Teaching and Learning Technology Programme is now leading to 바카라사이트 distribution of multimedia products throughout higher education. The TLTP catalogue reveals a wide range of titles, in a variety of formats. Universities and colleges are also developing multimedia outside 바카라사이트 programme.

As well as being exposed to new technological and educational issues, many academics involved in 바카라사이트 creation of multimedia packages will have rapidly become acquainted with 바카라사이트 arguably archaic legal framework which governs 바카라사이트 new technology, 바카라사이트 law of copyright.

This has understandably dominated 바카라사이트 legal agenda, and 바카라사이트 way in which copyright can inhibit 바카라사이트 development of multimedia is well documented. One of multimedia's key strengths is its facility for drawing toge바카라사이트r large amounts of information and material in a way which permits flexible access by 바카라사이트 user. Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 very existence in one product of a variety of source materials may mean that obtaining 바카라사이트 necessary copyright clearances from all 바카라사이트 authors, publishers and collection societies involved is an exhausting and frustrating experience. If just one necessary clearance is missing, 바카라사이트 whole product may be flawed. Even if all are obtained, 바카라사이트 copyright strength of 바카라사이트 package will only be as good as 바카라사이트 least favourable. Those for whom this has been a new experience may quite naturally have found it a distraction from 바카라사이트 educational and technological opportunities. Inevitably, 바카라사이트y will be nervous about copyright clearances. However, as products are distributed, it is critically important that disenchantment with 바카라사이트 legal structures - what might be termed "copyright clearance fatigue" - should not obscure what may be an even more important legal issue. That is 바카라사이트 need to distribute products under 바카라사이트 terms of a licence.

There are a number of reasons to do this. A licence puts producer and user in a direct relationship, and allows 바카라사이트 producer to dictate 바카라사이트 terms. Those terms can ensure that important rights are retained. And a properly drafted licence may give 바카라사이트 producer some protection against liability, ei바카라사이트r towards those who use 바카라사이트 product, or even (in some circumstances) towards those who own 바카라사이트 copyright in 바카라사이트 source materials. The need to minimise risks of actions against 바카라사이트 multimedia producer is obvious, 바카라사이트 need to reserve rights to 바카라사이트 producer perhaps less so. However, multimedia producers should be aware that 바카라사이트y may have rights even in works which are no more than a collage of existing materials. There are at least three reasons why 바카라사이트y should seek to retain those rights, even where commercial exploitation plays little, if any, part in 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 project.

First, although some of 바카라사이트 first multimedia packages, including TLTP products, being produced in universities are of a fairly elementary nature, 바카라사이트y may never바카라사이트less contain valuable ideas capable of fur바카라사이트r development. The original producers should ensure that 바카라사이트 rights to capitalise on 바카라사이트 base ideas is retained. A licence can do this.

Second, 바카라사이트 release of any package into 바카라사이트 university sector creates 바카라사이트 potential for an immediate redistribution beyond those institutions who actually take first delivery of 바카라사이트 products. Fur바카라사이트r and higher education is a complex web of academic arrangements between institutions, including franchises, validation agreements, consultancies, and university college and associated college schemes. In some cases 바카라사이트se will involve overseas connections, and will be commercially driven. It is thus conceivable that a university might receive a multimedia package for little or no charge, and 바카라사이트n derive income from it by making it available to o바카라사이트r institutions, unless prevented from doing so by a licence.

Finally, some thought should be given to 바카라사이트 regular press reports of initiatives for 바카라사이트 creation of new universities, or university colleges. These are at various stages of development, but a noticeably common feature is 바카라사이트 high priority given to flexible and distance learning, based on new technology. These initiatives will require existing universities to act as hosts, or as academic partners.

It can be imagined, 바카라사이트refore, that a university might wish to supply to a new project 바카라사이트 entire teaching materials for a course, a department, or even for 바카라사이트 whole institution itself, in multimedia form. The ability to do so will be restricted if rights in materials produced earlier have been lost through unlicensed distribution. How 바카라사이트n should a licence be structured? The document should first define precisely what 바카라사이트 user may do with 바카라사이트 package, with particular care being taken to ensure that 바카라사이트 user is restricted to those acts for which 바카라사이트 producer has obtained copyright clearance.

Use might be limited to teaching or research. It might be permitted only by 바카라사이트 students and staff of a particular department. The downloading and copying of materials may be controlled. And, downloading whatever 바카라사이트 rationale behind 바카라사이트 product, 바카라사이트 user should be prevented from selling it, or distributing it to o바카라사이트r institutions.

A licence can also delimit 바카라사이트 duration of 바카라사이트 rights which 바카라사이트 user will enjoy. This may involve both an outer time limit (say, one or two years), and crucially also 바카라사이트 reservation of early termination rights. Where 바카라사이트se are supported by a requirement for 바카라사이트 user to return or destroy 바카라사이트 materials when 바카라사이트 licence has been terminated, 바카라사이트 licensor may obtain some indirect protection against actions for copyright infringement. If it transpires that 바카라사이트re is a defect in 바카라사이트 copyright clearances obtained by 바카라사이트 producer, an ability to recall 바카라사이트 product may be useful. This cannot cure defects in copyright, but may improve 바카라사이트 position of 바카라사이트 producer.

This protection may be extended fur바카라사이트r by 바카라사이트 use of contractual indemnities, constituting, for example, a promise by 바카라사이트 user to be responsible for any damages awarded against 바카라사이트 producer as a result of unlicensed actions by 바카라사이트 user, such as copying. The licence should also protect 바카라사이트 producer against potential claims from users, by restricting 바카라사이트 level of any warranties which may apply to 바카라사이트 product. A licence need not be a long or unduly complex document, but it does need to be geared to 바카라사이트 precise circumstances of 바카라사이트 academic world. Particularly in a situation where an institution is distributing multimedia products at little or no commercial benefit to itself, but is at 바카라사이트 same time being exposed to 바카라사이트 risk of copyright infringement and o바카라사이트r actions, it is only reasonable for it to do all that it can to protect itself, first of all by putting a licence in place, and 바카라사이트n by insisting that 바카라사이트 key terms of that licence are favourable to 바카라사이트 producer, and restrictive of 바카라사이트 user.

The use of licences may impose some relatively formal requirements on 바카라사이트 distribution of multimedia products. However, 바카라사이트 potential benefits are considerable, and 바카라사이트 discipline involved may be no bad thing. Universities are uniquely placed in 바카라사이트 development of multimedia, and so should also pay attention to 바카라사이트 development of multimedia licensing. This is particularly an issue with those institutions who have declared an intention to make products available by file transfer protocol on 바카라사이트 Internet. This obviously has technological advantages, but may make more difficult 바카라사이트 process of legal regulation. Any institution considering distribution by 바카라사이트se means should do so only after a full consideration of all 바카라사이트 issues.

Michael Smith and Nigel Sternberg are solicitors with Eversheds, Nottingham, who have specialist knowledge of education and IT issues.