Q&A 4

1. A software consulting company provides assistance to users of a large, complex, expensive, engineering-design software package. In order to provide the best service they made s copy of the program that was installed on the system of one of their customers. They had no intention of re-selling the software but needed a copy in order to provide better customer assistance. The vendor of the package sues; the consulting company argues that it was fair-use. You are the judge.

How do you rule?

I would rule in favor of the Vendor. The software consulting company should have discussed with the vendor before installing the program on the system of one of their customers. Although they may have good intentions, there are far too many things that can go wrong. Somebody can access the program and steal innovative ideas. It just is not right.

Why?

The Software consulting company should have discussed it with the vendor before they installed the program on the system of one of their customers. It is a frustrating situation, because of the possibility of theft of knowledge. The program was only for the consulting company’s use, not to be installed on a customer’s computer. Although their intention was to provide better customer service, they overstepped their boundaries.

2. In a letter to Isaac McPherson, Thomas Jefferson wrote He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine;as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.

Suppose a group of people go camping. One starts a fire. Others wish to start their own fires from hers. Can you think of any ethical or practical reasons why they should be expected to trade something for the use of the fire?

Well first of all, based on getting something out of nothing which unethical is so many ways. If we all took from eachother without replenishing or trading, everyone would end up losing. A trade, or replenishment, would be good, but ideally, the other campers should learn to start their own fire without utilizing someone else’s fire. What happens when the person who started the fire is not present? Knowledge is power, and rather than asking if they can use her fire to start a fire … perhaps they should ask the person to teach them to create fire.

3. Many textbooks include short quotations from other people’s work at the beginning of chapters. Such quotations are almost always used without explicit permission. Explain why they are fair uses.

The reason why I propose that these famous quotation in the beginning chapter of each page because it’s used for education in a classroom purposes. Also, any publicity is good publicity. When quotes are used, the author is always recognized, and in many cases, the author ends up more popular.