Software Copyrights and Patents Quiz

A piece of confidential information that gives a company a competitive advantage, such as a secret formula or process.

A trademark distinguishes a product or service from other products or services. Service marks identify and distinguish the source of services instead of goods.

A public document that provides a detailed description of an invention and gives the owner the exclusive right to make, use, and sell that invention.

A form of intellectual property protection for original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.

A court case that established that copyright protection extends to the compilation of factual works, even if the individual facts themselves are not copyrightable.

This case established that copyright protection does not necessarily extend to the underlying ideas or concepts in a book, only to the particular expression of those ideas.

A form of intellectual property which is not a protected term, but is a topic commonly discussed.

When an employee leaves a company, they might take confidential information with them, potentially compromising the company's trade secrets.

The idea that copyright protection can be extended beyond its original intended duration, potentially leading to works never entering the public domain.

A defense against copyright infringement that allows people to use copyrighted material without permission under certain circumstances.

The legal principle that allows consumers to make copies of analog or digital recordings for personal, noncommercial use. This includes making backup copies and sharing with family members.

The act of recording a TV show or other broadcast for later viewing, typically done using a VCR or DVR.

The process of transferring audio recordings from one format to another, such as from a vinyl record to a cassette tape or from a CD to a digital file.

A court case that determined that time-shifting, or recording TV programs for later viewing, is a fair use of copyrighted material.

A legal challenge to the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, which argued that the act exceeded Congress' constitutional power.

A feature found in Digital Audio Recorders that prevents users from making multiple copies of a copyrighted work.

The protection of software from unauthorized copying and distribution.

A software development strategy that ensures no unauthorized copying takes place when developing software based on a competitor's product.

A legal dispute where Apple argued that computer programs are copyrightable, specifically focusing on the object code, which is the machine-readable form of a program.

A legal dispute where Sega argued that disassembling a software program to understand its technical specifications is fair use.

Diamond Multimedia introduced the Rio MP3 player, allowing users to store and listen to music in portable devices, revolutionizing the music industry.

Space shifting refers to the practice of transferring copyrighted content from one location to another, such as from a CD to a portable device, for personal use.

The Audio Home Recording Act aimed to regulate the recording of copyrighted content for personal use, limiting the number of copies consumers can make.

The US Court of Appeals upheld the practice of space shifting as legal, aligning with copyright law, confirming that transferring music for personal use isn't considered copyright infringement.

Kelly, a photographer, sued Arriba Soft for using thumbnail images from his website without permission. The court ruled in favor of Arriba Soft, upholding the fair use doctrine for showing thumbnails in search results.

Google aimed to digitize millions of books from libraries, creating a searchable database. This project faced legal challenges from publishers and authors, as they claimed copyright infringement.

The settlement between Google and publishers and authors resolved the legal dispute over Google Books. It included a payment to authors and publishers, a book rights registry, and expanded access to books.

Critics argued that Google should have pursued the case in court, believing that Google had a strong case for fair use based on the Kelly v. Arriba Soft precedent. The settlement was seen by some as a way for Google to avoid a potential legal defeat.

The act of obtaining a patent for an invention that is considered obvious or lacking in novelty, often due to prior art or existing technologies.

A company that specializes in purchasing patents and then aggressively enforcing those patent rights against other companies, often through lawsuits.

Legal actions taken by companies to protect their inventions from being copied by competitors by amassing a large number of patents, even if they don't plan to use all of them.

The exclusive right granted by the government to an inventor to make, use, and sell their invention for a certain period of time.

A significant decision by the Supreme Court that led to the first software patent in 1981, paved the way for software to be protected by patents.

Software whose source code is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. It promotes collaboration, innovation, and open access to technology.

A set of principles that define the characteristics of open-source software, including free use, distribution, modification, and access to source code.

A collection of open-source software projects aimed at creating a Unix-like operating system, including essential utilities and tools.

An open-source Unix-like operating system kernel developed by Linus Torvalds. Combined with the GNU tools, it forms a complete operating system known as Linux.

The practice of allowing users to modify and distribute software freely, often with the intention of encouraging collaboration and innovation.

The benefits of using open-source software, including enhanced collaboration, frequent updates, ethical use, community ownership, and a shift from manufacturing to service.

A list of well-known open-source software projects, ranging from operating systems and web servers to programming languages.

A set of criticisms raised against proprietary software, focusing on concerns about restrictive licensing, copyright enforcement, and limitations on intellectual property rights.