Intellectual Property Books

This is a great book for the non-lawyer. It explains not only IP law, but also the ramifications that these regulations can have to your business as a holder of IP.

A ravenous beastie, technology eats everything it touches. Our daily lives, the way we shop, how we communicate, our work habits, the way we entertain ourselves, and how we exist day by day have all irreversibly transmogrified in the maw of the computer and information age. Now we live like network packets, shooting from node to node with rarely a pause, gathering and transporting information. In degrees of busyness, we've outdone the bees. Such a tsunami of change has to impact the way we govern ourselves. And of course it does. Not even the law escapes technology.

Patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets. Technology has chiseled into each one of these modes of intellectual property protection. But the issues remain complicated and hairy, and this book, with text thick as shag carpet, provides a detailed starting point for exploring the legal implications of technology.

After a thorough introduction to the United States' legal system, some 75 pages worth, the book dives into patent law. Any questions about the nature of patents such as cost, usefulness, novelty, nonobviousness, infringement, or validity receive apt treatment. The book even throws in an overview of the significant Patent Reform Act, not yet passed as of this writing. This Act promises to overhaul the United States patent system, potentially obsoleting some of the information presented. Concerning the patentability of computer programs, the whole drama gets laid out like an adventure tale. Computer programs didn't become patentable overnight. Some even doubted their eligibility for protection.

Trade secrets and their discontents, such as reverse engineering, receive a bulky chapter. These issues affect nearly all technology employees. Use caution, because tricks, shortcuts, or streamlined processes taken from one company to the next could, depending on the circumstances, misappropriate secret information. And when that happens the lawyers come out swinging.

The fuzzy nature of Copyright law receives as much tree bark as patent law. Questions arise on this subject often, especially in regard to the internet. Can I copy an image and put it on my site? Can I legally download digital music? What if a .jpeg doesn't have a copyright notice? The book provides a suitable background to answer these. And, similar to patents, the copyrightablility of computer programs also weaved a loopy route. At first they received overwhelming protection, which disturbed judges, who then abstracted, filtered, and compared protection down to a mere kernal of expression. The entire yarn gets told.

The book ends with chapters on trademarks, domain name issues, tort liability, privacy law, and issues related to contracts, particularly "shrink-wrap" and "click-wrap" licenses. At over 600 pages, the book defies summary. Prepare for a full brain.

Along the way, excerpts from actual court cases, including many Supreme Court decisions, bolster the main text. Not only that, a case study, CoolEdge, runs through the entire length of the book, elucidating murky concepts with comprehensible examples.

This book won't turn readers into lawyers, but it will open up a world of technology law to those with the gusto to brave its dense contents. Some chapters take upwards of two or three hours to complete. But the effort offers great rewards of legal knowledge at a detailed level unobtainable in most survey books or on FAQ websites. Best of all, no legal knowledge is required upon entry. Absolute beginners can comprehend every word in this book. As such it provides a great, but ardous, starting point for technology law.

I bought this book because it was the most recent publication purporting to explain technology law. Although I thought the price was a little high, I sure got more than my money's worth. This book really covers the most important and interesting topics in technology law, and it does so extremely well. Biotech, Internet patents, privacy, obscenity, copyrights, trade secrets, click-wraps, domain names, design protection, strategies for computer programs, the Microsoft Antitrust case-you name it and this book has got it. The book also deals with international matters, such as the WTO, and international strategic considerations. The court case examples are well selected, and the editing is superb. They are not to short to be trivial, but not to long either. I also visited the Web site mentioned on the back cover. It already has a bunch of helpful updates, including the Napster and DVD encryption (DeCSS) debates, among many others. This really is a great book. I recommend it highly.

Call this book Release 2.0! It's a fine upgrade from Prof. Burgunder's prior release.

With the growth in the internet and the advent of business method patents, interest in patent, trademark and copyright issues has surged to new heights. Awareness and integration of these legal aspects into our management of technology is absolutely vital for the future.

I practice law. Specifically, I work on intellectual property matters. I am also building two websites. As a result, I am keen on staying on top of my field. Professor Burgunder's new treatise is an important addition to the literature in this field. He writes in an accessible manner: open to students, interested people and legal practitioners alike. In addition, the arrangement of the book is well thought-out: you don't have to read or study it from the first chapter. Depending on your familiarity with this field, you can select topics and areas to review or you can build a college course around the book.

I was also delighted to see that Dr. Burgunder has been intelligent in the use of a web site to keep the book current.

If you are interested in technology and legal issues, this is a great book to help you! I recommend it heartily.

A splendid piece of work! It is timely and up-to-date with all the most recent & important technological law issues, including the Internet. It contains sophisticated analysis, but in an easy-to-read style. I particularly liked how the Internet is treated in the context of associated technology issues, rather than segregated as a separate unrelated universe. A big plus is the web site connected to the book where Burgunder provides updates about current issues --- such as Napster, Internet linking, and the antitrust case against Microsoft. This will keep the material fresh for years to come! I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about technology law. It's a winner!

I first purchased "Patent it yourself" by David Pressman and distributed by Nolo. This book is on the same level. Very clear and concise. It is not an attorney, but boy does it give you the necessary terminology and concepts that will dramatically increase your understanding of the licensing process. If you have any doubts, go to the Nolo website and listen to a podcast about the subject matter that will be covered and then make your decision. In my opinion...Great buy!!

First of all I think the book (the most recent edition as well as earlier versions) is first rate and I highly recommend it. Although the book is geared for do-it-yourself licensors, it is also terrific to help people who are looking for an attorney or who have one they are already working with. Having been a attorney focusing on intellectual property licensing for more than 30 years and teaching licensing to non-lawyer grad students, I know first hand that this book is a comprehensive albeit superficial overview of the licensing process. Despite how good the book is, it will not transform the reader into intellectual property licensing expert.

In the real world, licensing situations often become far more complicated than the impression the book provides. That is especially true when you are trying to negotiate with a large company with experienced IP lawyers. Its like trying to out negotiate a car salesman when buying a car. What the book does impart is a much greater knowledge of the overall landscape. The more you know, the better it is to work with your own lawyer to help you through the complications. People license to make money so the better the license, the more money that can be made.

Also beware that the book seems to focus mostly on patent licensing as opposed to other forms of intellectual property where the strategies and nuances are different. Again, this is only slight criticism as I did very much like the book. It is definitely a useful read for neophytes to licensing.

Joe Hustein

If you've invented a commercially viable product or service - especially if it's patentable - this reference book will help you with the next steps. It's much more about the legal aspects and other issues that go on AFTER you've got your golden egg and start soliciting companies, partners for licensing agreements....Definitely for serious inventors willing to persevere. I would have liked more case studies from Stim's past, but realize that confidentiality may not have allowed it.

This book is very educational about how to go about the licensing process. It's very easy reading, not the technical boring style. The included software is a major plus! You can customize the included licensing contracts.

Michael Waller
Iconium Clothing...

If you have a patented or a patentable invention and have decided not to manufacture or market it yourself, but wish to license a company to do so, this book is for you. In fact, it is a must read. The book covers not only the licensing of inventions but the licensing of trade secrets and copyrights.

As the author points out, manufacturing your invention yourself (venturing) is often not the wisest course. Few inventors have the funds or the experience to run a successful business venture. Also the cost of fighting infringers can be financially devastating for a new enterprise.

Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is its ability to explain legal terms and legal fine points in down to earth, everyday, language. An example of the practical approach this book takes is when the author comments: "Sad as it may seem, you may be better off with no license at all than a licensee that has a reputation for acting unethically".

He further notes that finding the right partner for a license can be harder than inventing and patenting. The author points out how some common agreements you as an inventor may make may have an impact your ability to license. He cites ten examples. One is a representation (rep) agreement that may require paying the rep a percentage of your license even though the rep was not involved in negotiating it!

How commercial is your invention? A list of 33 areas and factors to check is given. When you consider that only two or three out of a 100 new inventions succeed, it is well worth your time to go over this list early on. The book notes even brilliant inventions may be ignored by the public if the price is too high.

While many inventors worry about infringers, you should also be aware of the fact that "Many patent owners use their patents to earn more money stopping infringers than from selling the invention". An area that inventors seldom worry about is how their spouse may affect their license. Under various state laws, not only can spouses share ordinary property, but they can share intellectual property as well. Their signature on an assignment may be required.

Similar to this is the vital importance of spelling out the rights involved in a joint ownership agreement. A three page form for doing this is given in the book. A convenient feature of this book is that copies of forms appear alongside the subject under discussion. The forms also appear in the appendix and on a floppy disk located on the inside back cover of the book. (17 forms are provided.)

Several pages are devoted to the subject of invention marketing scams and on how to recognize a phony marketing company. Despite the best efforts of state and federal law agencies, scams take American inventors for hundreds of millions of dollars every year. If you do nothing else, read these pages.

For various reasons, companies fear and resist ideas from an outside source. The author offers suggestions for overcoming the "kooky loner" image that Hollywood has foisted on the public with regard to inventors. On the other hand, there are some companies that steal ideas and it behooves the inventor to check out their reputations before disclosing anything without an agreement.

The author discusses the very important topics of GMAR (guaranteed minimum annual royalty), how "net sales" figures can be modified by nine types of deductions, and he examines twelve factors affecting royalties.

A twelve page license agreement is presented and a thorough point by point discussion is made. Here and elsewhere in the book "legalese" is avoided and when it cannot be avoided a plain and simple explanation is given. For example, attorneys use a method called "redline/strikeout" to revise agreements. The author reduces this to plain English.

An eight page checklist for reviewing your license agreement is provided. It tells you what keywords, what phrases, and what terms need to be analyzed. It also refers you to the proper chapter for more information. Regarding "legalese", the author gives a fundamental bit of advice: "If a lawyer can't explain your situation clearly to you, he probably won't be able to explain it clearly to a judge or jury".

This is the first edition of this book. This reviewer suspects it will join David Pressman's Patent It Yourself (now in its seventh edition) as an absolute must read for inventors.

This book was commended to me by a reader who voiced concern about my use of quotes in my online journal (The Soupletter 1993-2003). After reading this book she felt I might be violating the doctrine of "fair use." Author Cheryl Besenjak is a professional with a mission. Her work as a copyright consultant frequently invoked requests for a "good book," on the subject, and unable to find one, she wrote it. She asserts that everyone needs to understand copyright law, particularly we electronically wired folks who can violate that law at the touch of a few keys. Her key message is a reminder that intellectual property is owned every bit as genuinely as real property, and stealing is stealing. I have read at least two other books on the subject, and numerous articles, but have not discovered a clearer, more concise treatment. If you are concerned about your own rights as a creator or your obligations as a user of others' work, this little book contains either your answer or an authoritative reference (for stickier wickets). Besenjak points out that the most nebulous and consequently least understood concept in this arena is "fair use." That is: how much of another person's creation can you utilize without violating their ownership rights? The law and the courts rely on four questions we should each ask ourselves every time we copy someone else's work: "1. What is the purpose and character of the defendant's use? 2. How much of the plaintiff's material is used and how substantial is the use? 3. What is the nature of the use? 4. Does the use have an effect on the existing or potential market of the plaintiff's material?" The answers to these questions are not straightforward, and vary from case to case and courtroom to courtroom. Brief excerpts (such as the one I just used) for purposes of review are generally defensible. But, even here, if the copyright holder (The Permissions Group, in this case) believed that those four points comprise the primary reason a person would buy this book, they could argue and possibly win a judgement that I had damaged their market. As Besenjak advises, "When in doubt, don't." But of course, "Fools rush in..." See you in court!

Given the the complex,and ambiguous nature of copyright, publishers and serious writers should a have number of copyright law books in their library. Besenjak rates highly as an understandable introduction. If you could read only one introductory book on copyright, read this one.

We are constantly bombarded at work and at home by statements pointing out we are now living in the electronic age and the information age. Several times a day we are reminded of this by notices that something is copyrighted or patented. Even at home, when you relax by inserting a video tape into your VCR, the first thing you may see is a stern warning that you may not copy this video tape and if you do, your home may be suddenly visited by FBI agents.

The copyright industry is no small industry. In 1993 the foreign sales were $45.8 billion and it was second only to the export of automobiles and parts! Also note that by 1995 "more than 26 million works had been registered" and that "In 1995 alone, more than 609,195 claims were registered".

Today at work or play some knowledge of copyright law is vital. To ignore it or to plead ignorance can be very costly. This low cost book is a splendid way to gain some insight into what it is all about. It is written in simple, plain English by an author who deals daily in the copyright field.

Like patent law, the copyright law is based on a specific provision in the United States Constitution, "...by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries..". The copyright laws have been revised and updated several times. Major changes were made in 1909, l976, and it is currently subject to change. The author gives the World Wide Web addresses for up to the minute information and for obtaining copies of the forms necessary to register a copyright.

Most of the general public is hazy as to how copyrights, trade names, and patents ("intellectual property") differ. The author clearly and simply explains how these areas of protection differ. One common misconception is that you can copyright an idea. You cannot. You can copyright how you expressed an idea. Someone else can also copyright how they expressed the very same idea.

Another question often asked is that if I can protect myself just by filling out a form and paying only a $20 fee for registering a copyright, why should I spend thousands of dollars on a patent? Again, you must recognize the differences in the areas you are seeking to protect. Your copyright protects your particular form of "expression" that resulted in a book, poem, music, sculpture, movie, letter, email or other printed. sound, or visual art. Whereas a patent covers "how to", by means of a process, or composition, or machine.
Copyrights can often be bypassed by changing the words used, varying the plot, et cetera. A patent, if properly written, is far more difficult to bypass.

The chapter on "Copyright in the Electronics Age" covers the changes and proposals for changes in copyright law with regard to "software, Web sites, video games, and CD-ROMs". The author stresses the importance of being aware that with email "the copyright remains with the author of the message" and that "The recipient does not have the right to copy, publish, or otherwise distribute the contents without permission".

Suppose that you discover a competitor has copied your photo or other material? The chapter on "Protecting Yourself From Infringement" details what you need to prove it, how you can resolve it yourself (a sample "cease and desist" letter is given), and what is involved if you must take it to court.

Consideration is made as to how you can legally use or adapt copyrighted material by paraphrasing, using matter in the public domain, and just how to go about getting permission when necessary.

Appendix A gives an up to date list of copyright resources including books on copyright law, newsletters, organizations, rights clearance companies, and web sites. Appendix B gives sample letters and contracts. Appendix C gives selected copyright law statues.

Whether we like it or not, the United States and the rest of the world is increasingly becoming a legal swamp. Reading this little book (191 pages) will give you a basic understanding of the copyright area. It is far less costly to avoid stepping into quicksand than extricating yourself afterwards.

Besenjak's revised ed. is like the first--well-organized and concise. She takes a complex subject and makes it as clear and simple as possible with plenty of examples. She provides background history and explains the "whys" in everyday language. The book is current with the latest changes in the law, as well.

Don't mistake this book for one of those dry, dusty, `just the facts, ma'am' reference volumes. Cheryl Besenjak's delightfully written, fascinating guide to copyright outshines many other books that merely list rules and regulations when they address aspects of the law. Besenjak brings the beauty of copyright to life, providing plenty of examples. She draws you into her subject with a chatty, yet authoritative voice. This second edition includes an up-to-date look at copyright protection and copyright infringement as it relates to the Internet and other rapidly changing technologies. We recommend this book to anyone who deals with written matter or intellectual property. Our work is copyrighted. Is yours?

As an accountant outside of the IP field, I found this to be a good tool to "round out" my business acumen. Enjoyed the presentation of pricing models.

I'm just through a couple of selected chapters, but I am certain that this book will provide me with an amazing outlook. It's very rounded, and includes a vast amount of information about licencing strategy, along with everything else. I suggest looking at the available images for the index (link to it somewhere on this page) and checking them out. Good stuff.

Richard is a very well known authority among those of us who are involved in the technology commercialization industry. As a technology commercialization business coach, I hear regularly that Richard's advice in his books is extremely helpful in the most important areas of their work. You can count on the validity of Richard's information...he's been in the trenches and around technology commercialization for many years.

If you want to be successful in commercializing technology get Richard's books, study them and put his advice and suggestions into practice.

~John L. Jenkins, The Coach
john@yourcoachingedge.com

Dr. Razgaitis has tackled an area that contains the most difficult question facing professionals and intellectual property owners - how to value and price embryonic technology.

In recent years many have attempted to educate us on the subject of valuing intellectual property. Complex financial theories and spread-sheet models emerged, especially during the e-business bubble as some strove to explain the unexplainable valuations of enterprises whose only assets were intangible. Dr. Razgaitis obviously knows and understands the theories, but doesn't let the reader escape into flights of fancy, instead bringing one back to earth gently, sometimes with humor, sometimes with real-life anecdotes.

This book allows the reader to seek information to a depth that he or she wishes. As an example, the Monte Carlo technique is presented in all its complexity for those willing and able to study it. At the same time, mathematically challenged readers can still come away with an understanding of what is going on. The author is skilled in clearly explaining complexities and the many well designed charts and tables greatly assist the reader.

These are just some of the features that set this book apart and give it a strong practical value to all of those who create and exploit technology assets, and to those who advise them. Anyone in those roles should have this book within easy reach.

Dr. Razgaitis has achieved an excellent job in illustrating most types of market-practiced methods in the valuation & pricing of tech-based intellectual property. He has done it not just in a coherent manner, but also with a touch of humourous & philosophical elements, which makes the book a surprisingly enjoyable read. Despite the fact that each valuation methods has different, or even diverse, characteristics, Dr. Razgaitis managed to clearly present how each method can be practically applied in various situations, and how these methods can be jointly applied to solve business problems. He has skillfully provided knowledge & guidelines for readers to come up with their own judgement regarding what methods to be applied in various real-world situations, rather than promoting a particular method as the 'silver bullet', like some other authors may attempt to do; this is refreshing & pragmatic as technology valuation is both art & science. The references of the book are also highly valuable, as they provides good pointers to resources that would enable readers to practice the methods.

"Weightless Wealth is a very important contribution to the development of work on Intellectual Capital. It reviews the historical development of IC as well as addresses how to leverage the potential of your intangibles, competences and talents. It has a very interesting appendix called the Value Explorer Toolkit. It shows how to identify core competences and then calculate the value contribution of these competences. This will give a model and fundamental platform for identifying wealth creating dimensions and sustainable shareholder value cultivation."

Leif Edvinsson, the world's first corporate director of IC at Skandia, now associate professor of IC at the University of Lund

Finding a workable and practical means of linking the core competence approach to business management with financial measures has been the goal of many researchers. In Weightless Wealth, Andriessen and Tissen suggest an approach and illustrate it with the easily-followed example of a toy manufacturer which runs through the book. Andriessen and Tissen provide practical advice on how to define and test company competencies and link them to the basic intangible assets that underlies them. Their

toolkit, the Value Explorer, is described in the last part of the book and guides the reader through their suggested process. Their linkage of competencies to financial results and the future earning power of the company is new and provides an alternative perspective for managers faced with critical strategic decisions. This is of special importance in a world in which the value of businesses by traditional means has become very difficult. Weightless Wealth is a well-written book, easy to read and engaging from start to finish.

As a researcher in the field of intellectual capital, I am keen on examining various conceptualizations of managing the intangible knowledge assets of firms. This book provides a refreshing perspective on this matter. It is both an easy read and comprehensive enough to provide the reader with a firm understanding of the current management theories, concepts and measurement approaches in the field. I encourage anyone interested in the management of organizational knowledge (both practitioner and academic) to pick up a copy and enjoy.

As a full time practitioner and researcher on Intellectual Capital Management since the beginning of the 90's, I am always looking for new useful concepts, methodologies and tools on managing intangible assets. This time in Weightless Wealth of Andriessen and Tissen I have found something unique that breaks the conventional thinking: a new practical method that leads to better strategic decisions focusing on core competencies, as the foundations of present and above all future value creation and as the unique bundle of intangible assets.

A took kit the "Value Explorer" guides the reader through the practical applications of the method. I would like to say, that my experience on the model ICBS (Intellectual Capital Benchmarking System), that follows a similar way, guarantees the effectiveness of this new alternative approach. Weightless Wealth is a well-written book, easy to read, enjoyable and engaging from start to finish.

As a researcher in the field of intellectual capital, I am keen on examining various conceptualizations of managing the intangible knowledge assets of firms. This book provides a refreshing perspective on this matter. It is both an easy read and comprehensive enough to provide the reader with a firm understanding of the current management theories, concepts and measurement approaches in the field. I encourage anyone interested in the management of organizational knowledge (both practitioner and academic) to pick up a copy and enjoy.

I found Author to Law to be highly informative and full of take-away.This book is a must-read for any author, from the novice to accomplished. I initially wanted more information about copyright laws but discovered there were concessions to negotiate along with royalty rates I hadn't even considered.I wish I had read this before I signed my contract. Now I feel I have tools to work with. And this book is in my toolbelt.

You've finally received a book contract. Yeah! Congratulations and what excitement. Yet when you study the contract it is 15 or 16 pages full of legalese that you can't understand. What do you do? Sign it?

Here's a great tool to increase your understanding of the issues related to the legalese of contracts. It's not black and white but often in between and the words on the page make a huge difference. It's the author's responsibility to understand these words.

I love what these authors wrote in the final paragraph of their section on how to use the book: "Remember that no book can be a substitute for the advice of a good lawyer. But this book and others like it can--and should--help you better recognize the need to get good legal advice and help you better understand the advice you get. It can help make you a better consumer of legal services and a savvier provider of writing services. But it can't--and shouldn't be expected to--replace solid professional advice."

Here's a carefully written and researched book which explains complex terms in plain, easy-to-understand language. Get this book--and read it. If you do, you will be much wiser about legal matters in the world of publishing.

This book should've been called Entertainment & Media Law A to Z. It is both informative and extremely thorough in its description of the legal and business affairs of the publishing industry. It also provides basic information on recording industry practices as well as copyright & trademark law. This book does a terrific job of informing authors of many valuable resources that exist to assist them. As an attorney, I was impressed with the case law cited by the author. However, this book is written in plain English, and written in a way that people of all backgrounds could easily understand. I would say, to aspiring authors or literary agents alike, this book is a must have.

The latest installment in the "A-Z Legal Series" from Capital Books, Author Law A-Z: A Desktop Guide To Writers' Rights And Responsibilities packs the collective wisdom of author-lawyers Sallie Randolph, Stacy Davis, Anthony Elia and Karen Dustman into plain terms for lay readers - and writers! Author Law A-Z is organized like an encyclopedia, with A-Z entries of common legal and writing industry terms or issues that every author should know, from "abridgement" and "acceptable manuscript" to "young adult books" and Zapruder film", which denotes a landmark legal case about film rights concerning the home video film that accidentally documented the assassination of JFK. In addition to the entries, numerous tips, tricks, techniques, and warnings for the aspiring author in a legally complex world, from a sample demand letter (as written to a vanity print-on-demand publisher masquerading as a traditional publisher) to a sample complaint for copyright infringement, advice for what to say when one's editor calls, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for spot research or simple cover-to-cover reading in order to grasp valuable basic lessons of the writing and publishing business.

To let a multibillion dollar creation escape from you is something hard to get over. "Authoritas: One Student's Harvard Admissions and the Founding of the Face Book Era" is Aaron Greenspan's amazing story of having developed the enormously popular Face Book software, only to let it escape from his grasp to the benefit of others. Greenspan candidly lays out the inherently fascinating story of his life - the memoir of an idealistic young man with huge dreams and an innovative idea -- only to be betrayed and have his creation stolen from him, then exploited for millions. "Authoritas" is a highly recommended look behind the famous Face Book website, and a recommended addition to academic and community library Biography collections.

"That's some catch, that Catch-22," Yossarian observed.
"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.

That is the famous line from Joseph Heller's 1961 novel, Catch 22.

Authoritas is the autobiography of Aaron Greenspan's adventures growing up in Shaker Heights, then attending Harvard, and then finding himself in Harvard's 21st-century version of Heller's Catch 22.

Authoritas is an interesting, fast paced and a times humorous read.

While at Harvard, Greenspan develops by all accounts the very first version of what is now the international website "Facebook."

Aaron Greenspan writes very well and really knows computing. With that combination I think we will be hearing a lot from Mr. Greenspan in the future.

Heller's John Yossarian would have loved reading Authoritas.

This book is odd. It's well written and the narrative is compelling; enough for me to read it all in one go.

The stories of inadequate ego-driven teachers and students early on in the book are relayed well. The book's exposure of incompetence, back-scratching and favoritism from supposedly upstanding academic leaders is excellent. This is a good reason to read this book, and for excellently depicting an often overlooked part of academic life, this book deserves 4 stars.

The problem is, that's not why I bought the book. I was expecting a book about the "founding of the Facebook era" as the sub-title suggests. This, however, is certainly not a focus. From 335 pages in all, the name "Mark Zuckerberg" first appears on page 287, and any facts relating to Facebook's rise are within only the last 40 pages, mixed with of indignation.

Initially the author developed a system called CriticalMass that allowed students to rate their satisfaction of different academics at Harvard. Textbook Central, a textbook trading site, followed. Another system called FAStWebmail allowed Harvard students to access their official Harvard e-mail accounts over the Web. These were eventually rolled into a system called houseSYSTEM that included some other features like course preselection and calendars.

For a few chapters after explaining how these systems were developed, the focus is on how the administration and some other students considered houseSYSTEM to be insecure and flawed, due to its pseudo-requirement to have users' official Harvard passwords (in order for the webmail function to work) and a lack of proper SSL (HTTPS) security.

In dealing with these concerns the author showed a lack of technical knowledge. He protested that only an MD-5 hash of users' passwords were stored, but if this were the case, how did his system then access the users' official e-mail accounts? The author doesn't provide a proper level of detail to make a judgment as an independent reader, and the way he portrays it may just be very poor.

The author also says "Brian Wong is telling people that MD-5 generates 16-byte hashes, when it doesn't! There are 32 characters in all of them! Each ASCII character is one byte!" MD-5 generates a 16 byte hash (128 bits). That a textual hexadecimal representation of that 16 byte hash takes 32 characters does not make it a "32 byte hash."

The author has a habit of "quoting" his mental monologue, nearly all of which is negative in nature, and assuming whoever he's talking to is either an idiot or out to get him. The author's paranoia (warranted or not) permeates the last half of this book enough to make for uneasy reading. He also jumps to exaggerated conclusions. Shortly after the initial security concerns, the university decides that Greenspan needs to delete the password hashes he had collected so far and "forward the list of all those whose information you have collected" in order that those students could have their passwords reset. Instead of complying with this reasonable request, the author rants about how the users table has other information like phone numbers in it and asks "What, do they want those, too?" The e-mail he quotes requested a list of people who signed up for his site, not other details. This doesn't stop the author from eventually sending the whole user table anyway!

On the SSL issue, the text implies that a self-signed certificate was used, but the author appears not to understand the identification issues with this (though those who e-mail him appear to). It's a common theme that the author quotes well-thought-out e-mails and refutes them poorly. He argues that a wildcard certificate would be necessary - costing some $1000, though InstantSSL had them for under $500 at the time - not realizing he could use a regular SSL certificate (under $50) for the password transfer (the parts where security really counted), and a wildcard cookie for cross sub-domain authentication beyond that.

On Facebook, he seems to feel that Zuckerberg's developments, though independent, were a rip off of his own even though Zuckerberg is constantly quoted as remaining separate. houseSYSTEM did have a "face book" feature where pictures of students were located along with their names, but this had no social networking aspect. Zuckerberg's did. Nothing the author relays gives me the impression he "founded" the "Facebook" era.

On page 302, I feel that Greenspan attempts to blackmail Facebook. Despite considering Zuckerburg "inarticulate and naive," he suggested that he join Facebook. When told they needed an engineer with 15 years' experience, Greenspan highlighted Facebook's problems with ConnectU (who were suing Facebook for allegedly copying their idea and stealing code) and suggested that he had "grounds to sue both of you" before suggesting that if Facebook would hire him, he'd be on their side and help the lawsuit go away.

The last 20 pages are dire. The author claims that having a full Facebook profile "would have meant I endorsed intellectual property theft" without realizing that information willingly shared is not "thieved."

Lastly, the author appears to rub most people in the book up the wrong way. Other than his closest associates and his family, almost every social interaction seems to result in the author antagonizing someone or being ignored. In most cases, he relies on his father to write e-mails and letters on his behalf (mostly unsuccessfully), rather than fight his own battles. "If Mark can get $2 billion for my ideas, I should at least be able to get a couple million!" sums up what I see as a jealous, paranoid individual who, as it happens, has written a gripping and interesting book.

As good as this book is, I sense Greenspan isn't the sort of person to get over his envy and indignation, and it saddens me that his personality appears to restrict him from achieving all that he could be.

At some levels, the book is just an absolutely engaging story. At other levels, it shines a harsh light on uncaring, uncreative, and unimaginative people involved at administrative levels of education. At times, you'll be astounded at the depths educational administrators go to squash creativity, deny entrepreneurship, and cover themselves at the expense of providing service to education.

Aaron Greenspan graduated from Harvard. And although he is a successful CEO of his own company (Think Computer), his success came despite his Harvard education. In Authoritas you'll find Aaron struggle to avoid the crushing of the human spirit and the crushing of the innate desire to learn and his determination to provide compassionate assistance to his autistic brother.

Aaron's story is personal, engaging, and important.

Very insightful and informative, and a must for any artist in any facet of the industry. To know what the law actually says regarding copyrights and fair usage is key to being a successful commercial artist.

Reading law is dry. Reading graphic novels is fun. Aoki, Boyle, and Jenkins have created the ultimate legal graphic novel. In about 53 pages they have illustrated to me everything I wanted to know about Fair Use of materials in the Public Domain and of copyright laws. As a videographer, I am now more educated, yet more wary of what I can and cannot use when shooting. At first, I read the whole book on line, then I realized that the information in it was too valuable not to have as a hard copy. And my bonus is that I can color the pages as I see fit while learning the law!

In August 2004, the BSA launched an "educational" campaign, "Play it safe in cyberspace". It comprised a comics whose hero, Copyright Crusader, was an ugly grabbing sanctimonious ferret. This animal version of Mackie Knife can still be seen in Ferreting out copyright scofflaws by David Becker (News.com, 08/10/2004).


"Bound By Law" is far more fun, and far more informative. For instance, the authors do not only make their characters talk about fair use and parody, but they use parodies themselves, as Cory Doctorow points out in his review, Comic book brilliantly explains copyright for documentary filmmakers in Boing Boing (02/03/06).

More information - and a link to the online version - in the comics page of Duke Law.

It seems appropriate that the first image you see when you open this work is reminiscent of the Crypt Keeper. After all, the topic is something most people fear -- law. In fact, the specific area, copyright law, even causes the knees of some lawyers to quake.

Bound by Law? is a comic book (or graphic novel if you prefer) issued by the Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law School. It seeks to explain to the layperson two of the thornier issues in modern copyright law for writers, musicians, artists and filmmakers.

Basically, the work (written by James Boyle and Jennifer Jenkins and illustrated by Keith Aoki) uses a documentary filmmaker to examine the impact of the doctrines of "public domain" and "fair use." The public domain is comprised of material on which copyright never existed or has expired and, hence, can be freely used by the public at large. Fair use is a statutory exception to the copyright laws that allows use of portions of copyrighted material for a variety of purposes as long as the use doesn't exceed the boundaries of a four-factor test the law establishes.

Why a comic book and a focus on documentary filmmaking? Because they are excellent vehicles for exploring the issues.

The work's filmmaker wants to make a documentary of the day in the life of New York City. She encounters what anyone would, albeit perhaps to a greater degree. Almost everywhere she goes there is copyrighted or trademarked material: music on the street or in a nightclub; a program or movie on the television in a particular room; or the logos that are ubiquitous at almost any sporting event. To figure out if she can use any or all of these materials without being sued for copyright infringement, she needs to sort out whether the material is protected or in the public domain. If it is protected, does her use constitute fair use?

Similarly, a comic book graphically demonstrates the seemingly endless circles and mazes in which an artist or writer can be led trying to sort out these questions. Bound by Law? also frequently relies on a montage or mix approach that displays how material which may or may not be in the public domain or may or may not be copyrighted plays a role in the expression of ideas. The latter is used to particular effect. As might be expected from strong advocates of the fair use doctrine, the book is replete with undoubtedly copyrighted and trademarked images, logos and symbols. Thus, the comic book not only illustrates but makes a point far better than a traditional written work.

The problem today is at least two-fold. First, Congress has repeatedly changed and extended the length of time before copyrighted work falls into the public domain. These actions have effectively resulted in most of 20th Century culture being protected for almost 100 years. Likewise, much of the material published today likely will be protected into the 22nd Century.

The problem with fair use stems not only from a lack of clear rules but also the fact some copyright holders have taken a very tough -- some might say extortionate -- stance. Bound by Law points out a variety situations in which works had to be cut or modified because of the money the copyright holder demanded in exchange for using a few seconds or snippet of their material.

Bound by Law? brings these complex issues across is a simple, enjoyable style. Not only does it show the firsthand impact of the problems, it also educates about a variety of relevant court decisions. It is also a commentary on trying to make intellectual property law a benefit rather than a hindrance to modern creative work. Some of its references in this regard are subtle, others more straightforward.

The former is seen from the outset. In the very first panel, the book quietly acknowledges the contributions of Lawrence Lessig, a Stanford University law professor in the forefront of arguing that intellectual property laws are hindering creative freedom and technology. Lessig isn't mentioned in the panel. Rather, the titles of several of his books appear on a bookshelf, together with the titles of other works exploring how copyright fits with new media and new technology. Lessig makes a later cameo appearance as the Statute of Liberty, holding a video camera as his torch and a copy of his most recent work in lieu of a tablet in the left hand.

More explicit is a closing discussion of "cultural environmentalism" as an approach for a future copyright system. Initially proposed by Boyle a decade ago, the theory is that just as the environmental movement demonstrated the impact social and policy decisions had on the environment, cultural environmentalists should show the public how intellectual property laws affect culture. The idea has taken root among a wide number of individuals (including Lessig) who continue to examine how to strike a balance between protecting intellectual property and encouraging creativity in an increasingly remixed culture.

Bound by Law? won't qualify anyone for membership in any professional organizations dedicated to intellectual property law. In fact, carrying it might alone be sufficient to keep a person out of some of those groups. But the aim isn't to make readers intellectual property experts. Rather, the goal is to educate artists and the public about current issues and provide commentary by those who believe copyright law must be fixed to remain a useful tool in a digital world. And a comic book is a far more enjoyable way to learn this than a case book or law review article.

COPYRIGHT COMPANION FOR WRITERS is an extensive look at the things writers should know about copyright, plagiarism, public domain and, international copyright issues, all of which can help make or break a career. Many misconceptions will be resolved and information will be shared to save authors and publishers from literary heartache and financial losts.

The thirteen chapters are short but potent as Ms. Evans tells everything you need to know about copyrighting, but never asked. The thoroughness of the information is a testament to the seriousness of learning the ever changing laws of copyrighting. Whether you are a new writer or an experienced, published author COPYRIGHT COMPANION FOR WRITERS will give helpful information about copyrighting: how it is created, protected and licensed. Copyrighting today requires a legal reference guide because of new court rulings and legislative amendments that are continually emerging due to the many technology changes.

COPYRIGHT COMPANION FOR WRITERS is an essential guide for anyone seriously interested in avoiding the legal pitfalls surrounding writing and publishing. Understanding the laws relating to the publishing industry is a must for survival in today's literary and musical arenas.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book, along with the attached CD-ROM is one of the best guides for an author when it comes to explaining in layman's terms about copyright issues. The author goes into great and useful detail about every aspect of the copyright process. Copyright forms in pdf form are included on the CD-ROM to help the author along. All of the possible traps and the danger of assuming your work is protected are covered. In all, it is a worthy companion of Literary Law Guide for Authors. Those of us who are serious writers should not miss getting both of these books.

Copyrights are a matter of international law. That means that not only are they complex (as all laws are) but that there are several US laws, and even more foreign laws that might apply. This book is a concentrated description of copyright laws as they apply to writers. As such it leaves out a lot of points like those that might apply to individual or to a publisher.

For the writer, this is clearly written and covers the information that he needs to protect himself before he starts sending out his masterpiece. The book also includes the forms to be used for copyright registration and more. The forms are also repeated on a CD-ROM included with the book.

To illustrate the complexity, however, of copyright law, a question. These forms are US Government forms, therefore they are in the public domain. But these forms are also on a disk at the back of the book. The disk is marked Copyright 2007 by Legal Write Publications. How can you copyright public domain Government documents. And it is obvious that the intent of the CD is for you to extract the forms, print them out and use them to register for copyrights. But nowhere do I see a statement that says you can do that. As I said, copyright law is a mess.

I thought I knew everything about copyright but I didn't know what I didn't know! I have been a professional writer since 1989. I have published three books and written over 400 columns for a major daily in Texas. I've even served as an editor for two magazines. Yet, I learned more by reading this one book than I did in all the books I've read on publishing. The information is current, practical, and priceless. Kudos to Ms. Evans-Walls for making legalese interesting and affordable. [...]

This is the first book the inventor should purchase! This book is easy to understand and follow, it provides you with a wealth of information from starting your invention process to receiving a patent, legal aspects, protecting your invention right through marketing and so much more! I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to be an inventor.

This is a great book, very good for people want to find out more about patent application and patent marketing. I am new to the patent industry, after i read it i have a better understand in the patent operation, it is recommend to everyone who is new to patent. I am actually a client of the book's contributor--Russ Weinzimmer, and I bought this book after I filed my patent application with Mr. Weinzimmer, who is a very professional and knowledgeable patent attorney.

This book is great! It is very easy reading. Simple and easy to digest. Written for the every day person. It has real world scenarios, contact information, forms and everything you need to get your idea started, and more importantly PROTECETED! I love the green highlights. It is like having cliff notes! You remember cliffs notes...the books we had in college when you didn't have all the time in the world dedicated to reading!

This is the best book on inventions and patents I have read. I have read two previous books on this subject and this book is easy to follow and still covers a broad range of topics from the invention process to patenting to actually making money on your invention. I am a first time independent inventor and this was just perfect for me to understand how I get started and how to protect my invention. It also provides a lot of resources you can access to help you with your invention: books, web sites, patent services, marketing services, forms, etc.