What is a copyright?
. The U.S. Patent offices defines copyrights as "Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works." it differs from a patent in that patent covers inventions.
One gets a copyright by being the original author of a work. But if you wish to seek legal actions against it is best to get your work registered.
Fair use is the thought that something being used not for profit in a public setting. There are limitations, if what you are showing has value then it is not covered. Say if you legally got a DVD of the new Transformers 3 and you set up a projector in the Student Union and showed it for free. You just broke copyright laws because that 50 people who wont go see it in the theater. At the same time you would probably be ok doing the same thing for "Gone with the Wind" because the studio has no exception of making profit off of the movie now.
The Teach Act is designed to give educators the ability to give materials that would normally be covered by copyright. The copyright still needs to be visible on this given media though.
I learned the difference between copyright and patent. There was a bigger difference then I thought.
Info came from http://www.copyright.gov
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