» Intellectual Property Rights Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log.

Published on July 28th, 2004

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IP Dispute at Cambridge. If you want to see things to come, read this hair raising account of the intellectual poperty disputes raging at Cambridge University in England. Maybe this sort of dispute is what I should concentrate on with this blog rather than just goofball posts. Wot?

A few points of contention:

Cambridge academics will no longer be permitted to register domain names, as these are registrable intellectual property rights. This will affect not just our ability to engage in business, but also our ability to brand our research projects

Under the new regulations, the University will claim the typographic-design copyright in your Powerpoint slides, if they were made with University equipment. So you must either buy your own computer,

Suppose you are a professor of archaeology who has a collection of Roman artefacts, built up over twenty years and bought with your own money. You create a database of your collection and its context. This database will in future belong to the University, limiting your freedom to move elsewhere on retirement.

5 users responded in " Intellectual Property Rights "

# 1 Imafish said, on July 28th, 2004 at 7:08 am

This isn’t a thing to come, it has already came. Cambridge is merely playing catch-up. Nearly all large universities do the same thing, as do large corporations. I’m not saying what they’re doing is right, it’s just old news.

# 2 James Dermitt said, on July 28th, 2004 at 8:17 am

The Agenda: Establish an unprecedented level of control over users and their computers with “compartmentalizing” technology.

I like all the goofball stuff you blog here John. Your sense of humor makes your Blog a must visit for me. Here’s a good Blogger from Cambridge University. He’s Blogging the heavy Cambridge stuff.
Check out Ross Anderson’s Web Log at: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/blog04.html

# 3 Ed Campbell said, on July 28th, 2004 at 9:24 am

None of this surprising in modern industry and commerce. Almost 5 decades ago, when I was an apprentice machinist at Generous Electric, we had to fill out a notebook, every day, listing every project we worked on — and sign it. Same for other corporate employment. The function of these records was to guarantee their patent and design rights over anything I worked on.

The only time I’ve come out ahead on one of these issues was in a dispute over marketing materials [photos, brochure design, copy] I designed for the last firm I worked for — before my current employer. I used my own computer, digital camera, working from my home/office to design. I was able to take my work with me.

I was also thoughtful enough in advance to put my own tiny bug in some corner of every piece I produced — to prove it was mine. Why make it easy for the lawyers?

# 4 Cyber Lucky said, on July 29th, 2004 at 1:45 pm

As a dog running Windows XD-K9 Edition, this is a concern. I had a bug and crashed after drinking water from my bowl while hosting a MS Wallop session. It tuned out that my paw sensors were sending a signal telling me too scratch my ear and when I did, it screwed up my .NET programming security protocols. I’ve since rebooted and am writing Flying Nun scripts for Warner Bros.. I wonder if these scripts are my property or the eclusive domain of my new master and chief software architect.

# 5 Cyber Lucky said, on July 29th, 2004 at 4:29 pm

“Either use the blog to concentrate on this topic or the The Flying Nun. “You tell him Marty. John is running a wandering Blog here. This thing is all over the place! “When lift plus thrust is greater than load plus drag even a dog can fly.” Maybe I should be learning to fly.

Woof woof!
Cyber Lucky

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