4.+Copyright+and+the+law

=Copyright and the Law =

**List THREE ways of committing a crime under Australia's Copyright Act ** - Distributing an infringing copy that affects the copyright owner - Possessing a device for making an infringing copy - Causing a work to be performed publicly (Australian Government)

Explain why shareware is cheaper than commercial software packages ** Shareware is software provided to users without payment usually on a trial basis and is often limited by a combination of availability or convenience. Shareware if often offered as a download from a website or comes as a disc with a newspaper or magazine. The use of shareware is to give buyers the opportunity to judge the program before purchasing the full version. Commercial software is produced for sale or serves commercial purposes. Therefore shareware is cheaper than commercial software because shareware allows you to have a trial basis before purchasing the program.
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Describe the technology developed by one Australian company to reduce software piracy. **Microsoft is a site that enables you to report software piracy the two methods it allows you to report are by email, and reporting the problem to them or filling out a form online. It also states that if you have founded pirated Microsoft products to report it by providing the exact location where they were selling the product, the contact details of the seller and the business name of the stall. (Microsoft)

. The legal issues that involve is if you infringe copyright by using someone else’s material without their permission, unless there is a special exception. Using a part of their work can also infringe copyright; also even if you change or add what you use you could still be breaking that barrier. Someone who infringes copyright can be sued by the copyright owner or taken to court, the court order can arrange to either pay compensation or pay the copyright owner’s costs. Some cases a person can be charged by the police and can be ordered to pay a fine or in serious cases be put into jail.
 * What are the legal issues surrounding software and the internet? In particular, look at sites from which software may be downloaded eg. and list the types of software available on such sites. Search for the Australian Copyright Council's site and see what you can discover about the rights of software designers when their software is made available on the Internet. **

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