author attribution http://www.artwoo.com Returned search results for author attribution Copyright 2008 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:11:31 +0000 http://www.artwoo.com/rss/author+attribution Seo - Copyright Issues - What You Need To Know http://www.artwoo.com/article/seo-copyright-issues-what-you-need-to-know http://www.artwoo.com/article/seo-copyright-issues-what-you-need-to-know#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:27:05 +0000 elseschristopher anguscommon mythreprint rightscopyright issuepiece of musicweb blog http://www.artwoo.com/article/seo-copyright-issues-what-you-need-to-know
First of all if you are going to copy someone else's material you must ask permission first. This means contacting the author or the publisher and asking them for . However sometimes the availability rights are printed right on the article along with information that you must credit to the author. This could include the date of original publication, where it was first published or the name of the publisher if it is from a book. Some articles may not be quoted or reprinted from unless you also provide a link to the URL of the author's choice.

Crediting an article to its rightful source is called attribution. You must always attribute the work of others and you must do it every time you quote from the article. This is true of direct quotes and paraphrasing. You can't condense someone else's writing and then assume that the readers will know that it belongs to ideas that are quoted earlier on in the article. That is called plagiarism.

Another important is "fair use." This is a legally defined terms that allows U.S. citizens to copy and distribute the work of others as long as they adhere to certain legal terms. For instance, in the United States bloggers are allowed to quote sentences and short passages as long as the quote is credited to the author.

However giving credit is sometimes not enough and length may have a great deal to do with what you can replicate on the web. For instance you cannot copy and distribute your favorite through a . Also laws vary from country to country. Don't fall for the that it is somehow all right to copy material by writers from other countries just because it is the Internet. is a SEO and Website Marketer. He can be contacted at: Sales (at) Brilliantseo.com http://www.chooseinsurance.co.uk http://www.mobility-direct.co.uk http://www.Illustratemyname.com ]]> The Fine Line Between Plagerism And Copyright Violation http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-fine-line-between-plagerism-and-copyright-violation http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-fine-line-between-plagerism-and-copyright-violation#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:29:59 +0000 plagiarismplagiarizingoften used interchangeablyintellectual property rightsplagiaristauthor attributionpoem http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-fine-line-between-plagerism-and-copyright-violation plagiarism" and "copyright violation" are . Although that may work well for most dinner table conversations, it's actually incredibly incorrect. Not all acts of plagiarism are copyright violations and the two concepts are actually quite distinct.

Copyright violation refers to the use of protected material without the appropriately expressed consent of the owner. If you take a I have written and to which I hold copyright and then place it on your website, you are violating my copyright. You are breaking the law.

Are you ? Maybe. If you indicate that I am the author (attribution) you aren't really plagiarizing. You have certainly stolen my poem and you are in violation of copyright law, but you aren't passing it off as your own.

Plagiarism refers to stealing the work or ideas of another person for your own use without properly attributing the source.

Being a can get you in trouble in academic and professional settings, but it isn't necessarily illegal.

Illegality only enters the picture at the point of a copyright violation.



Plagiarism is, primarily, an ethical issue. It involves whether it is right or wrong to copy or to steal the ideas of another and pretend as if it is your own.



Copyright, on the other hand, is a legal matter. It involves whether your use of someone else's work infringes their .

All copyright violations aren't plagiarism. Not all plagiarism rises to the level of copyright violation. However, the two phenomena do overlap a great deal. In many cases, the plagiarist will be a copyright infringer. Quite often, the person violating a copyright will be in the process of plagiarizing.

Nonetheless, it does make sense to understand the difference between the two acts. If someone plagiarizes you, you may or may not have recourse. It will usually depend upon whether the act also constitutes an infringement of copyright. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> Creative Commons Champion, Ed The Editor! http://www.artwoo.com/article/creative-commons-champion-ed-the-editor http://www.artwoo.com/article/creative-commons-champion-ed-the-editor#comments Fri, 10 Nov 2006 18:27:05 +0000 web of deceitattributionquotcreatorsgooglebehind closed doorscopyright system http://www.artwoo.com/article/creative-commons-champion-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 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 and/or non-commercial license.

To cover attribution, we would send an email and/or place a link back to a and;commercially orientedandquot; page on the author's website where they can make money off their own back.

For non-commercial use, we would andquot;payandquot; with a bio/profile webpage and lots of -friendly keywords to drive traffic from our website to the creators' commercially-oriented web site.

Anything beyond that, we aren't interested in, or capable, or willing to cow tow to the . Copyright, whilst important, has become a in many cases, and we can't play games, we have the pee to take.

Less seriously, but valid. Original material we can access on the www without a password should be deemed freely available. We should be allowed to use and reproduce it, as is, without a need to pay up.

Plagiarizing or taking something as our own, without the consent of the copyright holder is different - we arent clever enough to do it ourselves - and we don't condone it either.

Copyright should not be a usable weapon after the fact! If you don't want a photo to be reproduced on the internet without permission, please publish it or as thumbnails, in the first place.

We say this because most owners of photos never had any commercial use or intentions for photos placed in public galleries. So by definition, no copyright should really exist forbidding an enterprising website owner from simply copying (not altering, or taking it as their own, just copying) that DIY image or creation and placing it on their own website, to use as part of their own material.

Crediting the creator, not themselves, for its existence, would be the correct thing to do in this case, of course. What doesn't strike us as correct is for that DIY-er to claim commercial costs if someone else tries to be creative and in the process makes the DIY-er's snapshot famous.

Fair Use A copy of a blockbuster movie found on the internet is not original material, so that breaks all copyright law and should not be distributed by anyone - in its entirety. But published snippets should come under Fair use, because those snippets are a crap product, like selling chicken bones without any meat on them.

It shouldn't be a legal requirement either, to pay if you want to post images or video snippets of films or TV shows. That should be deemed Fair Use too of another basically crap, incomplete product. Links back to the copyright holders' full value-for-money offering should be sufficient compensation, especially as highlights tend to wet people's appetites for more of the real thing, creating a new customer for the TV producers.

Unfair world Of course what should and what does happen are miles apart. People can't be trusted to even post links to MGM, let alone recognise the efforts of some obscure photo-blogger in China. So we acknowledge there is no place for anarchy or the trust system, hence our belief in Creative Commons Licensing. Having recently decided on a strategy to expand the visitor base of my http://thepisstakers.com, I looked into copyright laws. Creative Commons comes out as a sensible and fair licensing system. That is all most law-abiding bloggers want and need. ]]> What's So Great About Private Label Rights? http://www.artwoo.com/article/whats-so-great-about-private-label-rights http://www.artwoo.com/article/whats-so-great-about-private-label-rights#comments Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:20:02 +0000 ebookebayprivate labelthat means thatmajor search enginesweb crawlersarticle marketing http://www.artwoo.com/article/whats-so-great-about-private-label-rights web crawlers to your site and helps you to get indexed by the . Not only that, but content also serves as a tool for communicating with your current and prospective clients.

It's probably because of this =96 along with the increasing popularity of adding free reports and =96 that have made s rights products and articles so popular and easy to find.

Private label rights take an article or an and turn it around into something that you can say that you have written. At first glance, that sounds great, doesn't it?

You can get the credit for writing an article or an ebook, you don't have to spend the time writing it, and =96 thanks to auction sites like =96 it doesn't even cost much to have your own informational article or product.

In many cases, when you purchase an ebook with private label rights, you'll receive a checklist of what you can do with the product. It will tell you that the product can:

=95 be edited; =95 be relabeled with your name as the author; =95 be broken down into individual articles (in the case of an ebook); =95 be used as content for your website without attribution; =95 be sold or offered as a bonus to your customers; =95 be published offline.

It still sounds good, doesn't it? With an article or ebook and private label rights, you'll have everything that you need in order to provide an information product =96 or will you?

You see, with all of the things that seem so great about private label rights, there's one huge disadvantage: you are not the only one who has these rights.

Even if the original producer of the content limited the sale to five copies, at least four other people will have the same rights to the content. Without making changes, any one article could be posted =96 unedited =96 to an article directory with five different "authors" credited.

If each person who bought that content also sells five copies, suddenly there are thirty copies of that same article. If each of the twenty five purchasers sells five copies. . . Well, suddenly private label rights seems to be a little bit less of a great thing.

Think about it:

=95 How much would your credibility as an expert on a topic be damaged if others were able to claim rights to your content?

=95 How would you really be able, with certainty, to market a product as your own without a risk that someone could buy the same content with a different name and different author when they were seeking additional information?

=95 Would you really be offering your customers or readers something of value if you only offered private label rights information?

Of course your credibility could come into question if all you used were private label rights articles and ebooks. You wouldn't be offering your customers unique content or information, and as a result you'd likely be offering them something of a lesser value than they anticipated.

Private label rights products serve a purpose: for those who are willing to take a chance, who want to have a product or service and who don't know how to go about creating one, private label rights are an easy way out. However, taking the easy way out isn't always the easy way of doing things.

While it may be more expensive or more time consuming, having an original article or ebook written exclusively for you or your business is the only way to ensure that you're offering your customers something of quality.

What's so great about private label rights? As long as others keep using them, your custom products provide more value and, in time, your customer base will grow while others' fail. Chris McElroy aka NameCritic provides Ghostwriting Services at http://www.articlecontentprovider.com and can help you with Article Marketing, Original Website Content, Press Releases, eBooks, and Original Blog Content. Also see his blog at http://articlecontentprovider.com/article-marketing-blog/ ]]> Are You Your Own Worst Enemy Or Your Own Best Friend? http://www.artwoo.com/article/are-you-your-own-worst-enemy-or-your-own-best-friend http://www.artwoo.com/article/are-you-your-own-worst-enemy-or-your-own-best-friend#comments Sat, 05 Aug 2006 14:27:10 +0000 poor self imageset goalslovedictatedisappointmentuncomfortablehonesty http://www.artwoo.com/article/are-you-your-own-worst-enemy-or-your-own-best-friend disappointments if we live each day seeking the approval of others.

Remember that you are who you are because of you, not because of another's perception of you. At the end of your life the only important question will be: "Did you live your life as you saw fit?"

In all , I can be my own worse enemy. I let people get the better of me.

When you let someone get the best of you than you are really letting them win. In life we are faced with the joy of living life or the pain and disappointment of not living life to its fullest.

I have always gotten by the strength and courage that I learned from my mother. One thing that she taught me was that life is a battle and sometimes you have to fight or you will die having never tried.

I am in charge of my destiny, and it is up to me and only me to live my life. I know what's important to me. I for myself and I meet those goals. I know my friends, and I know my family, and most importantly, I know myself. I know who Rose DesRochers is.

Ask yourself, what is important to you? Do you know who you are? Are you happy with yourself as you are?

Never lose sight of who you are, and what you stand for. If someone wants to dismiss you because you don't meet up to their standards, that is their problem. Maybe they set their standards a little too high.

Don't allow yourself to be your own worst enemy. Sometimes it's just a matter of putting yourself first. If you can someone else, why can you not love yourself? You are worthy of being loved.

Be true to yourself and your values. Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself even when it feels . Accept yourself as you are. Never let anyone to you who you should be. A poor self-image will only make you feel worthless. Believe in yourself, because the one person you can trust and rely on is you.

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Can you see in yourself who you really are, or do you see yourself as others want you to be?

Building self confidence means learning to love yourself. Learn to believe in yourself. Learn to accept the things that cannot be changed. Learn to accept that you're not perfect, nobody is. Learn to accept that you cannot change someone's opinion of you. Quit wasting time dwelling on what is negative in your life and concentrate on what is positive. Stand up and be counted, because at the end of the day when you look in the mirror, you should see your best friend. Rose DesRochers is a published poet and freelance writer. Rose has been writing poetry for more than 20 years. She is also the founder of http://www.todays-woman.net, a supportive online writing community for men and women over 18. She is also the Assistant Administrator of http://www.invision-graphics.com. Rose DesRochers's blog : http://rosedesrochers.todays-woman.net This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. ]]> Anthropomorphic Maps And The Human Shape Of The Holy Land http://www.artwoo.com/article/anthropomorphic-maps-and-the-human-shape-of-the-holy-land http://www.artwoo.com/article/anthropomorphic-maps-and-the-human-shape-of-the-holy-land#comments Sat, 14 Jul 2007 20:24:59 +0000 maps of continentsaccurate mapsgeographic mapsantique mapsanthropomorphictendentiousanthropomorphism http://www.artwoo.com/article/anthropomorphic-maps-and-the-human-shape-of-the-holy-land Anthropomorphism is the attribution of appearance and qualities of human beings to animals and inanimate. It is very common in all world civilizations as a mean of expressing ideas. All religions use this principle at daily level.

The developments in computer and robotic technology create a bigger need of it for optimizing the connection between man and machine.

The huge popularity of Anthropomorphism is because the human body is a major focus of attention concerning health, nutrition and nurturing. The human body is a microcosm where the big outer world is reflected.

Historic collaboration exists between Medicine men and artists for illustrating Anatomy by advanced graphic and contemporary art styles. This is done even by sacrificing the pure scientific description.

In the arts there is a great freedom of creativity. Every work of art which combines man with landscape is both a unique description of the human body and anthropomorphization of the landscape. The artistic spirit unites between the two. The development of new art styles allows bolder representations of this proclaimed relationship.

are a very influential medium for delivering culture dependant messages. represented the visual essence of their creators' world view.

Although modern map making utilizes sophisticated measurement instruments, it is still under the influence of aesthetic design. Even are forced to represent interpretive and view points.

The earliest maps were the constellations and zodiac maps which are associated with the universe.

Later on subjective world maps of early Christianity were created. Anthropomorphic and single countries evolved gradually from them. From the 17th to the 19th century Atlases of this genre were very popular.

Anthropomorphic maps are developed occasionally into caricatures in the Media. The state of Israel is described frequently as a ridiculous anthropomorphic image by the Arab media.

The Land of Israel, although a favored cartographic subject, never had its proper anthropomorphic map. The Holy land Map as a Human Shape can fill the empty space in this field. Avinoam Amizan is the creator of The Human Map of the Holy Land at: http://www.holylandmap.net/main5.htm. Read the full book of Anthropomorphic Maps and the Human Shape of the Holy Land at: http://www.holylandmap.net/anthro/enanthroindex.html. ]]> Paypal Users: Don't Get Caught By Phishers http://www.artwoo.com/article/paypal-users-dont-get-caught-by-phishers http://www.artwoo.com/article/paypal-users-dont-get-caught-by-phishers#comments Tue, 17 Oct 2006 16:27:11 +0000 paypal accountpaypal memberpaypal websitepaypalswww1emailphishing scams http://www.artwoo.com/article/paypal-users-dont-get-caught-by-phishers phishing scams. The latest Paypal spoof I received warns me that my has been suspended. It asks me to restore full access to my account by logging in to Paypal. When I click on the link provided in the , I am sent to a website that looks exactly like the PayPal login page. But the link does not go to Paypal.

This is the link displayed in the email I received.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run

When you click on the link it actually takes you to a phisers page.

It is generally not a good idea to click on links in an email. If you do, be sure that you are signing into the by looking at the address location area of your browser.

If you have already replied to the fraudulent email, contact your bank or credit card companies immediately to prevent identity theft. If you wish to check your Paypal account status, manually type PayPal's address into your browser and log in normally.

I was able to tell that it was a spoof email because the email began with "Dear ." Paypal will always address you by your first and last name. They will never send you a message and address you as "Dear PayPal member" or such.

Another way to tell if an email is from Paypal is to look at the full header. The email header is your indication of whether the email is from Paypal or not. When looking at the header it should say who sent the email in the first two lines. Example in the latest spoof email I received it came from

Return-Path: lester@server.ravin.net

Received: from http://server.ravin.net

If it doesn't say that it passed through Paypal's server, then you know the email is a spoof. The FBI is actively investigating these spoofs, so please report any suspicious emails by forwarding them to spoof@paypal.com. You can also file a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center at .ifccfbi.gov/strategy/howtofile.asp" >http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/howtofile.asp .

More advice regarding protecting your Paypal account can be found at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/cps/general/SecuritySpoof-outside

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. Rose DesRochers is the founder of Today's Woman Writing Community http://www.todays-woman.net, a supportive online writing community for men and women over 18. Rose is also the founder of Blogger Talk Blog Community http://www.bloggertalk.net, a friendly fast growing blogging portal. ]]> A Look At Intrinsic Motivation http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-look-at-intrinsic-motivation http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-look-at-intrinsic-motivation#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:27:06 +0000 extrinsic motivationintrinsic motivationexternal locus of controllocus of controlinternal locus of controlbernard weinerperform better http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-look-at-intrinsic-motivation Intrinsic motivation is when an individual is motivated by internal factors, as opposed to external factors.

Examples of intrinsic motivation would be doing something because you feel it is the moral and ethical thing to do; doing something because you know it will benefit others or doing something because it brings you pleasure and joy.

The latter is common in regards to an enjoyable pastime or a hobby.

It is believed that intrinsic motivation is far stronger than however there are times when extrinsic motivation can become stronger because it displaces intrinsic motivation.

This is known as the overjustification effect. For example this occurs when you begin doing something for intrinsic reasons and then are offered monies or another type of reward for doing it that overrides the reason you started doing it in the first place.

In many cases when this happens, a person loses interest in the activity once the reward is taken away. The key is to not offer large extrinsic rewards for something that is meant to be motivated intrinsically (in other words, from within).

Intrinsic motivation has been widely studied by researchers in the realm of education since the start of the 1970s and their findings have been that when students are intrinsically motivated to do well in school, they tend to , make higher marks and they also tend to enjoy the material they are learning a great deal more.

A man named created a theory known as the andquot;Attribution Theoryandquot; and he looked at such things as the orientation of goals and the (internal and external).

As an aside, an is when a person believes that they have control over what happens to them whereas an means that a person believes that control is outside of themselves and has more to do with extraneous factors as opposed to their own actions.

According to Bernard Weiner, students are much more likely to possess intrinsic motivation in their studies if they feel that their educational achievements have more to do with their own efforts as opposed to anything else.

As well students will experience intrinsic motivation if they feel that they play a paramount role in attaining their own personal educational goals as opposed to feeling as those it has more to do with luck or simply a andquot;roll of the dice.andquot; Finally when students have motivation that comes from within they will work harder to completely understand and master a given subject as opposed to simply learning the work at hand so they can pass a test or exam and then forgetting it afterwards. Keep in mind that intrinsic motivation holds no promise of rewards for students as opposed to extrinsic motivation, which is all about rewards.

Many decades of research has given rise to a theory known as andquot;Goal Theoryandquot; which has shown that intrinsic motivation in some communities and groups is altruistic in nature as the desire to help others and contribute to the greater whole is the number one motivator.

When a person appeals to the common good or does something based on a moral obligation or commitment to others this is when intrinsic motivation is shown to be alive and well in the world. Charles Williams is a writer for http://www.lsft.org which is an excellent place to find Motivation and Self Improvment links,For more information go to:www.lsft.org ]]> Blue Moons, Magic Spells and Moonstone Jewelry http://www.artwoo.com/article/blue-moons-magic-spells-and-moonstone-jewelry http://www.artwoo.com/article/blue-moons-magic-spells-and-moonstone-jewelry#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:22:27 +0000 roman plinymoonstone jewelryblue moonstranslucent appearancesemi precious stonesmoon glowvolcanic deposits http://www.artwoo.com/article/blue-moons-magic-spells-and-moonstone-jewelry and Moonstones

When the stones in your bracelet shimmer like the sea washed with moonlight, you have magic. Those stones are moonstones, a form of feldspar that combined with potassium to attain that translucent glow when it reflects light. has been a favorite with women for centuries.

Moonstones are abundant in Sri Lanka, Burma and Switzerland. The ones in your bracelet or necklace is classified is an orthoclase known as adularia, because it develops in hydrothermal and . This type has a and shimmering shine. On the rough, moonstones are nothing to look at. An expert cutter is needed to cut the stones for moonstone jewelry.

The moonstones were called many names in ancient times. To the , it was astrion. The stones had a spot, which was believed to be the reflection of the moon; to Italian Camillus Leonardus, a mineralogist and astronomer, it was selenites - another attribution to the moon's glow. The moonstones had several names but it was always associated with the moon.

In Asia, the blue moonstones were attributed to the Blue Moon, an occurrence that shows up in every two or three years. This happens when there is an extra full moon in the lunar cycles or every 2.72 years. The extra full moon your Blue Moon. When you gaze at your moonstone jewelry, you'll find that and magic.

Give the Gift of the Moon's Glow

An engagement ring with a luminous moonstone is romantic, considering the myths associated with it. Moonstones were believed to bring luck in love and strengthen the bonds of love. But any moonstone jewelry - necklace, bracelet, or cabochon - will always give that "magic."

With the holidays fast approaching and you're stumped for gift ideas for the special women in your life, think of moonstone jewelry. These are matched with precious stones - garnet, lapiz, onyx, amethyst, and other semi-precious stones and lavishly decorated with sterling silver.

You can go over a wide selection of designs and colors. Moonstones come in varied hues and can be pink blue, white, colorless, gray, black and brown. You can choose the color to match the blue in your mom's eyes, or the choose pink for a young girl. Grandmothers would be fine with gray and black which would suit their Sunday best. Perhaps you would like to give your Dad or husband a moonstone tie clip?

The assortment of moonstone jewelry is as varied as the number of designers and the materials used. There are ethnic designs from India, Burma, and Sri Lanka and which give the jewelry pieces its own character. The jewelry pieces are crafted by experts with an eye for design and you will be delighted with the prices! You can get a pair of earrings for less that $100!

The gift of jewelry is always treasured. Make this Christmas a memorable one for your loved ones. Let the moonstone jewelry speak of your affection towards the women in your life.Thinking of Christmas or birthday gifts for mom? Let her dazzle in the soft glow of moonstone jewelry or make her proud of a lovely sofa throwset, only from UniqueCollectiblesGifts.com.]]> Teens And Blogs - Internet Safety Wake-Up Call http://www.artwoo.com/article/teens-and-blogs-internet-safety-wake-up-call http://www.artwoo.com/article/teens-and-blogs-internet-safety-wake-up-call#comments Sat, 21 Oct 2006 16:27:05 +0000 hi5hotmaillivejournalxangamyspacebasicallyblogs http://www.artwoo.com/article/teens-and-blogs-internet-safety-wake-up-call blogs from the Internet, in the name of protecting them from cyberpredators. Which brings me to an important question, just how can you keep your child safe online?

The Internet is a "gateway" which leads the adult predator to your child. Parents need to recognize the need to better monitor their children's online activity. I believe that websites like , , and , make it all too easy for sexual predators to prey on our children.

Children are vulnerable and they don't realize that anyone can and most likely is reading their blog entries. Both my children have blogs, however they are under moderation by both my husband and I. Frankly, as a parent of two teenagers I believe that it is up to us as parents to educate our children about the online dangers.

Children's blogs are a pedophile's playground, because of the easy ability to look into a child's world. As parents we can help our children stay safe while using a blog. For information about blogging safety please visit http://BlogSafety.com and http://SafeTeens.com

Regarding sites like : I've received several invitations from hi5, but I never signed up until November 2005. It wasn't long before I was removing my account. I should have read the privacy policy before I registered.

It reads: hi5 collects personal information when you register, when you use hi5, when you visit hi5 pages or the pages of certain hi5 partners. hi5 may combine information about you that we have with information we obtain from business partners or other companies. Once you register with hi5 and sign in to our services, you are not anonymous to us. hi5 collects information about your transactions with us and with some of our business partners. hi5 automatically receives and records information on our server logs from your browser.

, they have spyware.

Hi5 collects your or yahoo address lists and contacts. Once you register there is an e-mail that is sent to everyone in your address book. This e-mail is sent without your permission.

The website also requests, your hotmail and yahoo password. I never gave my password, I was not that gullible. However hi5 was still able to gather my information and contact those listed in my address book. I finally was able to delete my account, through the instructions in their help file.

In my opinion, hi5 is even worse than xanga and myspace.

I encourage all parents, whose children have an account on hi5, to log into hi5 and delete their children's account.

Too much personal information is being revealed on these websites, making it a haven for sexual predators. Parents need to wake up.

I for one, am very concerned with websites like hi5, MySpace, Xanga, DeadJournal, Blurty, etc that encourage children to post their photos and personal information.

I strongly suggest that if your child uses the computer and you have not been monitoring their activity, it is time that you found out just what they are doing.

You owe it to your children. Rose DesRochers is a published poet and freelance writer. Rose has been writing poetry for more than 20 years. She is also the founder of http://www.todays-woman.net, a supportive online writing community for men and women over 18. She is also the Assistant Administrator of http://www.invision-graphics.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. ]]> Inside Out Empowerment http://www.artwoo.com/article/inside-out-empowerment http://www.artwoo.com/article/inside-out-empowerment#comments Sat, 15 Apr 2006 01:50:05 +0000 negative emotionswife cooksfocusmoneypersonal powernew jobtotal control http://www.artwoo.com/article/inside-out-empowerment personal power.

Whenever we wait for certain things, people or conditions to be in place in order to be "happy," what do we do in the meantime? I'll be happy when my more often or I'll be happier if my husband were more romantic. Or I'll be happy when my children start listening to what I say and stop sassing me every time I turn around. Or I'd be very happy at work if my boss would just recognize the contributions I make. This is when we want other people to match up to the perfect world we have created in our minds.

Then, there are those situations when we make our happiness contingent on certain things. I'll be happy if I made more . I can't make more money until I finish my degree. I'll be happy when we can have our own home. I'll be happy if I can get a . I'll be happy when my parents are healthy. Again, I ask, "What does one do in the meantime?"

While it is perfectly acceptable to hope for things to be different in your life and to strive to improve and make things better, it's unacceptable to waste your life on . There is a saying that you are what you think about and that what you keep in mind expands. So, if you are always ed on the negatives and the things you lack, then you will attract more negative into your.

However, if you focus on the positive and what you have that's good and helpful, then you will attract more positive things into your life. Which would you rather have? Then you must begin to change your thinking.

We have almost over our thinking. I know there are unwelcome thoughts that intrude on our consciousness every day. However, we have the power once they are there to focus our mind elsewhere. All we need is to have a plan in place that whenever I think about X, Y and Z--things I don't want occupying my mind--then, I will think about my summer vacation instead. Focus on any positive experience--past, present or future.

So why do you have to be the one who changes when it is obvious that the "other person" is the one with the problem. Inside Out Empowerment helps people put ownership of a problem where it belongs--with whoever is the most upset about it. If you are angry because your husband doesn't take the trash out on time, then which one of you is the most upset with the situation? You are--so it's your problem. Your husband probably doesn't even notice that the garbage is an issue.

If you are certain your boss is a controlling, arrogant jerk, do you think he or she is lying awake at night trying to figure out how to be more sensitive. Most likely not. He or she is not even acknowledging a problem. Fixing the problem comes with correct problem attribution. Whose problem is it? Problems belong to the one most disturbed by them and it is that person's job to seek the solution.

Most of human suffering is our resistance to what exists in our life. We become quite power hungry trying to change others to meet our needs. What would happen if you simply accepted everyone where they are at, without exception? What if you recognized that things are already perfect just the way they are? Could you be more content and happier with the life situations that already exist?

Inside Out Empowerment teaches individuals first to attribute the problem to the correct individual and then works with the problem owner at adjusting his or her behavior. This allows the unhappy person to be in the driver's seat with his or her own emotions. Starting from the inside out, people empower themselves by adjusting their own thoughts and behavior to manage whatever life throws at them.

Inside Out Empowerment is such a powerful way to unleash your personal power in a big way. What are you waiting for? Kim Olver has over 20 years experience in staff development and supervision and is an expert in leadership skills, staff relationships and diversity. Certified in reality therapy/choice theory/lead management/quality school concepts, she works with counselors, schools and businesses to apply these ideas http://-coachingforexcellence.biz/ChoiceTheory.shtml ]]> Rose Desrochers's 7 Tips: How Do You Generate Traffic To Your Website Or Blog? http://www.artwoo.com/article/rose-desrocherss-7-tips-how-do-you-generate-traffic-to-your-website-or-blog http://www.artwoo.com/article/rose-desrocherss-7-tips-how-do-you-generate-traffic-to-your-website-or-blog#comments Sun, 16 Jul 2006 00:27:07 +0000 blogtechnoratitaggedsearch enginesbloggerstrafficweblogs http://www.artwoo.com/article/rose-desrocherss-7-tips-how-do-you-generate-traffic-to-your-website-or-blog traffic to your website or ?' Many first-time assume that you make a few posts, submit your blog to the and traffic will come naturally. It's not that simple and it takes a little more work than just that.

Here are seven tips to generate traffic to your website or blog.

1. The primary way of promoting any website is by creating valuable content. It is important to have something of value to offer to your readership. Adding quality content to your Web site or blog is the best way to keep visitors returning. Not only will it keep them coming back, but it will encourage them to create links to your website or blog. Make sure that you update your content regularly. Once people realize that you add fresh content regularly, then they will constantly check back to see what is new. The purpose of having a website or blog is to attract regular visitors.

2. You've worked really hard on your Blog, but no one is reading it. Read and comment on other blogs, but make sure that you comment on the topic at hand. Don't ask them to come and visit your blog. Write valuable comments and leave a link to your blog.

3. currently tracks 35.3 Million . It is one of the best traffic providers for bloggers. If you don't already have a Technorati account, you can create one at http://technorati.com. Once you sign up you'll be required to claim your blog. Technorati will give you two codes. You'll need to put one of these in your blog for Technorati to verify that your blog exists. Technorati also offers tagging. When you use the tagging system of Technorati, you're drawing attention to your keywords. Tags tell the search engines which category your posts are under. Many of Technorati pages rank high in search engines. Once you've added tags to your post be sure to ping it.

4. Use http://pingoat.com to ping more than 50 directories each time you republish to your blog. What does pinging do? Pinging lets the weblog tracking sites know that your site has just been updated with fresh new content.

5. Write articles and submit them to article directories. Writing and submitting articles is a free and easy way to drive traffic back to your website. Article directories are a huge hype with new ones sprouting up all over. When a webmaster or blogger uses one of your articles it increases your web exposure though backlinks to your blog or website.

6. If you want to drive traffic to your website or blog and keep visitors returning then why not consider giving something of valuable away. Giving items away for free is a great way to increase traffic. Some of the things that you can give away are free downloads, free e-books or a free audio. If you administrate a community, you might suggest that your members donate something to give away as a way of supporting their community. Also holding a contest is a great way to boost traffic.

7. Make a commit to yourself to blog regularly. All it takes is ten minutes everyday to increase your traffic. Ask any SEO expert and they will tell you that search engines love content. However don't blog for the sake of blogging. Make sure that what you're blogging about is of interest to your readership.

There you have it, Rose DesRochers seven important ways to increase traffic to your blog or website. I hope that these suggestions will help you. Rose DesRochers is a published poet and freelance writer. Rose has been writing poetry for more than 20 years. She is also the founder of http://www.todays-woman.net, a supportive online writing community for men and women over 18. She is also the Assistant Administrator of http://www.invision-graphics.com. Rose DesRochers's blog : http://rosedesrochers.todays-woman.net This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. ]]> Ebook Security: A Growing Concern http://www.artwoo.com/article/ebook-security-a-growing-concern http://www.artwoo.com/article/ebook-security-a-growing-concern#comments Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:22:37 +0000 virtual vaultebook authorsebook softwaree booktracking technologysecurity programsecurity code http://www.artwoo.com/article/ebook-security-a-growing-concern ebook authors is security of their online publications. There are people who buy Ebook and sell it for their own profit. Even, sometimes, the stories are distributed through emails or shared through the Internet by different customers.

This leads to a heavy loss for the author of the ebook. Thanks to the technology developed with internet, it has introduced several products for the security helping the author to have control over the distribution of their ebook. This is also essential for securing privacy rights of the author and preventing pirated copies.

The for the ebook is developed with `IP Tracking` technology. When a customer wants to buy a copy of the ebook, he or she has to enter the user name and password or a license code to access the product for the first time. In this process the IP address is recorded with the online control panel.

If the buyer shares the product with someone else, the author of the ebook is alerted as it will display two or more users with different IP address. If the author finds the ebook being shared illegally, the on-line control panel allows the author the ability to deactivate the copies associated with that IP address.

There are three most popular programs used for IP tracking for the security of e-book.

ClickLocker:

ClickLocker can be integrated into any . When the buyers want to purchase any ebook, the program directs them to a page where they are prompted to enter name and email address to get registered. The buyers are provided with a license code that they use it to access the product for the first time.

If the author finds any illegal use of the , the program allows the author the ability to terminate the license for the buyer. However, the author of the ebook has to pay on monthly basis to keep the program activated, once the service is cancelled all the distributed ebooks are immediately unlocked for the readers.

:

Some features of `Virtual Vault` are similar with ClickLocker. However, this security program allows the author to login into the control panel and prevent the access of the ebook by the buyer who has not paid, even after providing the security code. In this process the violator can not access the product even if the link or the security is emailed to someone else. VirtualVault assure the security of the ebook even if the author is not checking the control panel for multiple users.

Ebook pro:

It is an ebook compiler that comes with built-in security system to allow the author to track licenses as the ClickLocker. The buyer receives a user-name and password to access the ebook. But the author has to set the system so that the buyers can access the product for a specified number of times. The author can login to the control panel to set, disable or reactivate the licenses.

Use of IP tracking system is an assurance that you can save your time of tracking your ebook and simultaneously do your administrative work. Of course, there are some downsides of the system. The system is not able to track if multiple computers are connected with internet having same IP address.

Shortcomings apart, IP tracking is a useful tool of controlling the distribution of ebook. Though it can be expensive, it can save the author of the ebook from frustration of illegal sharing of their publication. However, before deciding to select any IP tracking system the author of the ebook should be practical and think about the pros and cons of every type of tracking system.You can have access to portuguese articles about ebooks from page Ebooks Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for www.polomercantil.com.br]]> Understanding Fair Use Rights http://www.artwoo.com/article/understanding-fair-use-rights http://www.artwoo.com/article/understanding-fair-use-rights#comments Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:27:08 +0000 nuigalwaycopyright lawscopyright infringementjargonwords from a songparagraphscholarship http://www.artwoo.com/article/understanding-fair-use-rights 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. Maybe you quoted the lines of a poem or a line from an article or the . I quoted the work of another author in the above , where I defined copyright. Given my example in the opening paragraph, did I just infringe on the author's copyright? Should I have gotten permission from the said author to quote them? No, under what is known as "fair use", I may quote the author without seeking permission.

There is a misconception in the writing world about what fair use is. Fair use is defined as "a concept in copyright law that allows limited use of copyright material without requiring permission from the rights holders, eg, for or review."

If you were to publish an author's article in its full entirety without seeking permission from that author you would be violating their copyright even if you credited the author and provided a link to the source of the article. Quoting two lines from the news article with a link to the entire article would be considered fair use. Except for the facts in the article, news articles are protected under . So when are you allowed the right to fair use? Fair use is allowed for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.

I hope that this article has given you a better understanding of fair use. For more information on copyright, please visit http://www.copyright.gov

Acknowledgement: Help and FAQs - Explained (AF) [James Hardiman Library - NUI ... -.ie/help/jargon/" >http://www.library.nuigalway.ie/help/jargon/ Rose DesRochers is the founder of Today's Woman Writing Community http://www.todays-woman.net, a supportive online writing community for men and women over 18. Rose is also the founder of Blogger Talk Blog Community http://www.bloggertalk.net, a friendly fast growing blogging portal. ]]> Author Resource Box: How Many Links Is Enough? http://www.artwoo.com/article/author-resource-box-how-many-links-is-enough http://www.artwoo.com/article/author-resource-box-how-many-links-is-enough#comments Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:35:01 +0000 day spatax preparation serviceirs taxdog kennelauthor resourcetargethow to save money http://www.artwoo.com/article/author-resource-box-how-many-links-is-enough author resource box. Others say use just one. I think it really depends.

The first rule of thumb with article author resource boxes is to only include information that is relevant to your article. For instance, if you run a , an IRS , and a and you write an article about on your taxes then you want to include the fact that you are the owner of an preparation service.

You don't want to mention that you own a dog kennel or a day spa. On the other hand, if your article is about how to groom your poodle for show then you would want to mention that you own a dog kennel but you should leave out the IRS tax preparation service and the day spa.

I think the reason for this is obvious. People interested in one service won't necessarily be interested in the other and it could actually ruin your credibility with your audience to mention non-relevant interests. But that tells us nothing about links.

Based on the above principle, of course, you can reason that unrelated links should be left out of your author resource box. Don't link to your dog kennel website in an author resource box attached to an article about the health benefits of a day spa. But what if you own a day spa and a massage parlor, two related businesses?

You could provide a link to both business websites in an article about general health and wellness tips. But should you? I'd say you shouldn't IF the two businesses are separate businesses and not related to each other by legal status.

On the other hand, if you have a business website and a blog that represents the same business entity then you probably do want to include a link to both websites.

The reason is because some people will be threatened by the website, which they know will have a strong sales pitch, but they might be interested in reading what you have to say on your blog because it is viewed as less threatening.

Ultimately, the decision is yours. But the principles that I use in determining how many links should go into my article author resource box are these:

=95 Are the links related to the article content? =95 Are the links related to each other? =95 How much space is alloted for the author resource box at the directory or website it is being submitted to? =95 Which website am I more interested in driving traffic to? =95 What is my target audience and how will they perceive each link?

These are all important considerations and very important when deciding what links to put into your author resource box.

Generally speaking, though, fewer links is better because people are less likely to click through to any website if they have trouble deciding which link is most attractive. Allen Taylor is an Article Marketing Expert. Visit http://www.articlecontentprovider.com or the Article Marketing blog at http://articlecontentprovider.com/article-marketing-blog/ for more about Article Marketing. ]]> You Might Be A Published Author If... http://www.artwoo.com/article/you-might-be-a-published-author-if http://www.artwoo.com/article/you-might-be-a-published-author-if#comments Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:27:14 +0000 publisherspithyreprint rightsaspiring writersring binderrestaurant napkinaccessible forum http://www.artwoo.com/article/you-might-be-a-published-author-if
You've ever printed up several copies of your work and passed them out at the mall.

You've ever written something on a and left it for the waitstaff.

You've ever written a poem in the memo of your checkbook.

You've ever published a selection of stories in a three for neighbors as a 'welcome to the neighborhood' gift.

The truth is, the definition of a published author might be more encompassing than you may have realized. Most tend to think of a published author as one who has had a manuscript accepted for publication in a book or magazine. However, because there are assignable rights to your work it is important to know that chances are very strong that you are already a published author.

If you have posted a story on the web, you are now considered a published author. This scenario can be confusing and sometimes frustrating for writers because some only accept work that can be provided with first or exclusive rights. If the piece has been published on the web, these rights are no longer available.

It should be noted that there are also many publishers that will accept second rights or non-exclusive for those works that have been published before.

One of the primary reasons to consider web publishing is because it allows an audience to read your work and provide feedback while allowing you to grow as a writer.

When you begin a writing career it can be very important to find as many avenues as possible to allow your work to be seen and the web provides a readily for doing just that.

Some will refer to this as assisting in the building of a portfolio which is essentially a means of showing potential publishers that your work has been accepted (or published) in a wide variety of venues.

The more publishing credits you have the greater your chances are that a publisher will review your work a little closer.

If you have ever participated in a writing contest, had your work accepted by an ezine or had a writing printed in your local newspaper, you are now a published author.

The bad news is you've forfeited the opportunity to sell the piece for first and/or exclusive rights.

The good news is you are realizing a dream that is forfeited by many because of the fear involved in clicking the 'submit' button. Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of FaithWriters (http://www.faithwriters.com) and many other web projects. FaithWriters has grown to become one of the largest online destinations for Christian writers. Members include writers from all around the world. Please visit the website at: http://www.faithwriters.com ]]> When Does Copyright Expire On My Music? http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-does-copyright-expire-on-my-music http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-does-copyright-expire-on-my-music#comments Sat, 02 Jun 2007 14:24:59 +0000 copyright musiccopyrighted musicmusic worksthis means thatfreelance journalistlifetimeworry http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-does-copyright-expire-on-my-music copyrighted music isn't something you have to about, at least not in your . The music that you've written is copyrighted the moment you've put it onto paper or recorded it. The reason you don't have to worry about expiration is because the music is protected until 70 years after the death of the author. In the case of your music, that author would be you.

This rule about expiration was first put into place so that the families and heirs of an author could still earn royalties even after his or her death. Ultimately if you've taken the steps to copyright your music and have registered the copyright, then your music will be protected throughout your lifetime until 70 years after you or the last surviving author (assuming a collaboration) is deceased.

Copyright music expiration is not something you should make a primary concern unless you are having issues of someone respecting and/or honoring your copyright at the moment. You should take comfort in the fact that as long as you are alive you are the only one who can assign your copyright to another person; and as long as you haven't given up your ownership of the music it still belongs to you.

This is different, however, if your copyrighted music was work "made for hire." If that is the case then you cannot have ownership of the music, as it never legally belonged to you, but the person or entity who hired you to produce the music. Works made for hire have different copyright music expiration than those owned by the creator. With works made for hire, the copyrights are in effect for 95 years from the original publication date or for 120 years from the creation of the work, whichever of the two is shorter. Brian Scott is a who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> The Perils And Pitfalls Of Publishing: Who Can http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-perils-and-pitfalls-of-publishing-who-can http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-perils-and-pitfalls-of-publishing-who-can#comments Mon, 15 May 2006 09:32:06 +0000 publishers resourcessubsidy publisherunfortunatelyvanity publishingauthorsdemand bookspod http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-perils-and-pitfalls-of-publishing-who-can Unfortunately there are charlatans and scam artists just waiting to ambush the unsuspecting author. How can a novice writer protect themselves?

Anyone can call themselves a publisher. Always remember money flows towards the author from the publisher, not the other way round.

What to look out for:

Charges the author a fee up front, to have their book accepted, considered or read. These fees are sometimes called a reading fee, intake fee or administrative fee.

Directs toward specific editing services or gives authors' names to these services, with the caveat that if the author hires the editing service, their book will be published. Every book needs editing. It is part of the publisher's job to provide that editing at no cost.

Offers a contract where the author has to pay for part of the publishing costs. The acquisition editor will sometimes say that the publisher's list is full for that season, but the author's book has so much going for it, they would still like to publish it. However the publisher's resources are fully committed and the author will have to share in the costs.

Some publishers offer contracts that are unfair, such as they obtain rights that should remain with the author of the work.

Some publishers' contracts contain a clause that if the author says anything negative about the publisher, there is a monetary fine.

There are also publishers who hold the rights for a lengthy time period, regardless of whether the book is still in print or selling.

The publisher doesn't disclose they are a Publish on Demand (), or vanity/. There is nothing wrong with an author using a subsidy/ company as long as the author is well aware of the disadvantages. Publish on are not, as a rule, stocked by bookstores.

Some POD publishers will insist that their books are available in book stores, as a way to get around this issue. Available is not the same thing as stocked. Available only means the book can be ordered through the bookstore. Since the majority of books sold, are stocked and sold by bookstores, this situation puts a damper on sales.

What else can a writer do to check if a publisher is legitimate?

Go to the local bookstore and see if any of the publisher's titles are stocked. Ask the manager if necessary.

Search the Internet using the publisher's name plus the word 'scam' or 'complaint.'

A publisher's website is targeted to its customers. If the website promotes the books they've published that's a good sign.

If the website is focused on recruiting writers, that's a bad sign.

Go to forums or bulletin boards that are for writers and see what the authors who have published with the publisher you're considering have to say about their experience. Dee Power and Brian Hill, http://www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com, are the authors of "The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories from Authors and the Editors, Agents, and Booksellers Behind Them." Their latest novel, "Over Time," is a financial thriller: A story of lost loves, found glory, and business treachery. http://www.OverTimeTheNovel.com ]]> How To Avoid Copyright Infringement http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-avoid-copyright-infringement http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-avoid-copyright-infringement#comments Fri, 06 Jul 2007 10:30:01 +0000 copyright infringementpublic domainelectronic frontier foundationpower point presentationcreative commonscopyright codeobtaining copyright http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-avoid-copyright-infringement Copyright infringement is not an easy thing to explain. While it may seem as simple as not using someone else's work, it's not that easy. Thanks to the , and many other organizations, we have the ability to use others' works -- as long as we use it under Fair Use laws. So what does Fair Use have to do with copyright infringement, and how can you utilize it?

Fair Use laws allow us to use a copyrighted work without having to pay someone royalties. This includes using a copyrighted work for educational or instructional uses, criticism of the work, commentaries on the work, news reporting about the work, teaching on the work (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship uses, and research. This is talked about fully in Section 107 of the (commonly called Fair Use) and is available for you to read at your local library.

Copyright Infringement in day-to-day life

Sometimes, if you're writing a paper for work or school, or if you are creating a , you need to use someone's work that is already in copyright. So how do you use it without committing copyright infringement? All you have to do is ask -- the worst they can say is no, right? But, if they do say no, there are several items in the which may help you to finish your project without having to commit copyright infringement.

What is the public domain, and how does it relate to copyright infringement?

Material that is not copyrighted is considered in the public domain. You cannot commit copyright infringement on works in the public domain. These works include things that the copyright has expired on, or is not copyrightable -- such as government publications, jokes, titles, and ideas. Some creators (writers, musicians, artists, and more) deliberately put their work in the public domain, without ever , by providing an affiliation with . Creative Commons allows people who create materials to forfeit some, or all, of their copyright rights and place their work either partially or fully in the public domain.

So, how do I ensure I'm not committing copyright infringement?

First of all, if you're going to use someone else's material, you may want to check the public domain to see if something is suitable for use, instead of trying to use someone else's copyright. However, if you can't find something suitable (and you can't create something yourself), the next best thing (and your only legal course of action) is to find a piece that is in copyright, and contacting the copyright holder.

When you contact the copyright holder, make sure you tell them what you want to use their piece for -- whether it's for your blog, podcast, or report -- and ask if you can use it. You may have to pay royalties, or an attribution in your piece, or a combination of both. The creator may also place many limitations on when and how you can use their material. Follow all these instructions they give you, and you'll be free and clear to use their work as you want.

Once you have permission to use a copyrighted work, you need to make sure you stay within the agreed-upon boundaries. If you veer outside their agreed terms, you may open yourself up for a copyright infringement lawsuit, which can be nasty, costly, and time consuming. If you're in doubt, before contacting the copyright holder, contact a copyright lawyer to ensure you're following the law -- and protect yourself!

QUESTION: If you hear a great new band, and then download a song from MySpace, is that legal or not?

ANSWER: The events of copyright infringement are not only limited by Kazaa, Morpheus, or some other file sharing peer to peer (P2P) service. If you download a song -- no matter if you're on a website or a MySpace page -- and it isn't coming from the artist themselves, you may want to think about downloading it. Chances are, if it's not coming from them, you can't have it -- unless it is under a Creative Commons License. Creative Commons gives the exact ways in which you can use the license -- and many times those are completely free and legal to download, so make sure you check if it's under a CC License.



QUESTION: If I'm writing a paper, or article, and I want to quote another website, can I?

ANSWER: First of all, did you know the minute you write or create something, you hold the copyright to it? ESPECIALLY if you're writing it online -- it's very easy to track things on the Internet. So, if you're writing a blog, all the things you've written (no matter good or bad) are recorded, thanks to Archive.org, which lets you review last versions of your web pages.

Sometimes, we can use someone else's work in our own, and think we're small and anonymous. That no one will notice by the time you get it down -- you're just "borrowing" it. Before you begin quoting anyone's website -- from CNN to your local neighborhood hardware store -- you need to ask the person who holds the copyright if you can. Usually, they'll let you if you attribute to them. Depending who you talk to, you'll either have to pay royalties or license rights to republish. If you don't ask before you quote, you're beginning the events of copyright infringement and you are opening yourself up for a lawsuit. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> What Is Copyright Infringement? http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-copyright-infringement http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-copyright-infringement#comments Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:15:01 +0000 copyright infringementcontactrules of engagementwikipediaintellectual property rightsstrict liabilitycopyright laws http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-copyright-infringement Copyright laws are constantly changing. Knowing exactly what is, whether you're creating an eBook, publishing articles, using music as a backtrack to your podcast, is important. Although copyright laws change from one jurisdiction to another, knowing the basic rules of copyright infringement will ensure you're following the proper when you create your works. Before you make any final decisions regarding the use of a work that has been copyrighted, always a copyright attorney to ensure you're following the law -- this will keep you from being sued or, even worse, punished in a court of law.

What is Copyright Infringement?

Copyright infringement, as defined by .org, states: "Copyright infringement (or copyright violation) is the unauthorized use of material that is protected by law particularly the copyright in a manner that violates one of the original copyright owner's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works that build upon it. The slang term bootleg (derived from the use of the shank of a boot for the purposes of smuggling) is often used to describe illicitly copied material."

So, what is copyright infringement in plain English? It means if you're not allowed to use something, then don't use it -- plain and simple. It can be very simple to get permission to use a work -- many times you'll be able to use a "sample" of music or an excerpt of writing for a nominal fee, or a small attribution. However, if you do not have the permission of the copyright holder -- whether it's an author or a publishing house -- you can be sued for copyright infringement or worse.

What is Copyright Infringement in America?

In many jurisdictions, such as the United States of America, this act is known as a crime or tort (a tort is a civil wrong -- not a criminal wrong). This means the person who infringes the copyright -- whether intentionally or not - will be responsible for the damage or loss. Also, the prosecutor (in criminal court) or plaintiff (in civil court) must only prove that the act of copying was committed by the defendant -- they do not need to prove guilty intent. This means, even if you had no intention of committing copyright fraud or infringement, you can (and in present times, in many cases, WILL) be prosecuted, even if you used the material in good faith.

What is Copyright Infringement in Action?

Many cases of copyright infringement are difficult to see to the layperson, because the violation is not limited to exact copying. In many cases, when something is inspired by another thing -- such as in music, when the inspiration of one song is used to create an entirely different song -- it's difficult to see where the new product or "thing" has crossed the line to something illegal. Some works aren't even protected by copyright, such as compilation of facts that lack the creativity necessary to be covered by copyright, or works that are in the public domain because the copyright has expired. Knowing the difference is often very difficult to see, and because of this we've seen a number of copyright infringement cases in recent years, especially in tandem with the music industry.

As you can see, copyright infringement is a very difficult, albeit necessary, act to define. However, if you make sure you're using works that are in the public domain, or have long since been out of copyright (think Beethoven or Frankenstein), you'll be safe. Do your fair share of research. Download my free e-book, "Copyright Basics," at www.ResearchCopyright.com to learn more about how to avoid copyright infringement.



What Is Copyright Music Infringement?

In recent years, copyright infringement of music has seen an unprecedented leap in scope and scale. This is largely due to online services that allow unchecked file sharing among their subscribers. While this abuse of copyright is not only limited to music, this is where we observe the most profound effects of file sharing.

Industry giants of file sharing are emerging quickly with the demise of the pioneer for illicit file sharing, Napster. The Recording Industry Association of America (or RIAA) has made copyright music infringement their primary focus. They estimate that peer-to-peer file sharing steals 4.2 billion dollars worldwide each year from the coffers of the music industry. These estimates, however, assume people would buy every piece of music they downloaded.

The RIAA has argued that new and struggling bands are less likely to continue making music because it will no longer be profitable. The bulk of musicians' incomes result in royalties, which depend entirely on the sales of their albums.

The RIAA also argues that people burning music to CDs (which they have bought) does not constitute fair use because CDs are not "unusually subject to damage"; if they do become damaged they can be replaced affordably. This assertion has raised more than a few eyebrows and is giving rise to opponents of the RIAA who claim the lawsuits and crackdowns against those presumed guilty of copyright music infringement are actually hurting music sales and the profits of the music industry.

During the height of Napster popularity (the hallmark by which all file sharing seems to be compared) CD sales were at their highest rate ever. People were exposed to music and music groups which they otherwise may not have heard without file sharing. As a result of enjoying the music by these music groups, people bought the CDs of the music they enjoyed. It's ironic that the very lawsuits designed to stop copyright music infringement have actually managed to stifle file sharing enough that CD sales are dropping noticeably around the world.

Opponents and critics also challenge that rather than being a source of copyright music infringement, peer 2 peer networks offer unprecedented exposure for new artists and their music. Another argument against the RIAA is that the reason for the lawsuits against file sharers is because they want to keep the prices for CDs over inflated while keeping the actual royalties coming to the artists relatively low. The copyright music infringement claims made by the RIAA have become suspect.

The music industry is currently working on ways where fans can legally download music. This will mean that music fans have access to the music they love from their PCs and directly to their music playing devices without resorting to illegal copyright music infringement. The truth is most people want to do the right thing and will do so if given an alternate, easy solution. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com ]]>