copyright help.

[goodhead]

If the history dept own a dvd on ww1 and they want to share it between staff without loosing the disk and it getting damaged over time.

Whats the copyright issue in ripping the dvd to a single avi and then storing on server?

[Geoff]

It's illegal.

[goodhead]

It's illegal.

Geoff are you sure?

How would it be done legally???

[localzuk]

It depends on the license that you have for the dvd. Most likely though, as Geoff says, it is illegal.

[Midget]

You are legally allowed to make ONE Backup copy of the DVD.

So make one copy and store the original somewhere safe (away from the teachers as they'll just think they can use both at once)

[j17sparky]

So what do people say to staff then when they ask?

We have it all the time and they take a strop if we tell them its illegal - answer with "Oh but i only need it for the one lesson/assembley in like an hours time"

"Yeah but its still illegal wether you use it once or a thousand times"

[goodhead]

You are legally allowed to make ONE Backup copy of the DVD.

So make one copy and store the original somewhere safe (away from the teachers as they'll just think they can use both at once)

So your saying we could have a copy of the dvd on a server as the main copy and then keep the original disk as the backup, say in the server room.

Most dvds they have are educational ones so should have licence info with them.

[Midget]

My understanding is from 1:1 copies, ripping the DVD to DivX goes into the grey realm because you can easily make more copies (for instance when doing a server backup)

Just make 1:1 copies (ie make an exact copy onto a blank DVD)

[djm968]

This site may help to clarify the situation

http://www.licensing-copyright.org/

[StewartKnight]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you Midget, there are NO provisions to "backup" a comercial DVD, uless explicitly expressed.

Technically, what you're doing when you copy a dvd is copyright infringement... not "illegal" as such, but the people who try to enforce it are out to scare you (Hollywood, record labels etc.).

You'd only infringe on the copyright if you removed / circumvented the copy protection.

If the disc in question had no protection, then, you've done nothing wrong.

[Midget]

What's legal in this country and what's legal in america are 2 different things.
also what the MPAA say is illegal and what is ACTUALLY illegal are another 2 completely different things.

[Geoff]

It's illegal because you have to bypass the copy protection to make the copy. Bypassing DRM is a criminal offence.

There is no concept of 'fair use' in UK copyright law Midget.

[localzuk]

Also, there are no provisions in UK copyright law for making a backup copy of anything. It is done and no-one is prosecuted for it but it is still illegal.

Also, making a backup is not the same as changing format and placing on a mass distribution system (server)...

[mattx]

At the end of the day who is going to know ?
If its to benifit the children & in the realms of their education - do it.
We all record TV shows, tapes, CDs, etc etc - thats all illegal. Stupid out of day laws...... Grrrrrr........ :-)

[CyberNerd]

A. Fair Dealing

This applies particularly, but not exclusively, to the restricted act of copying. There is no precise definition and interpretation is ultimately made by the courts. However, it essentially allows limited copying without permission provided it is fair and the commercial interests of the rights holder are not damaged. 4 Fair Dealing applies principally to literary, artistic, dramatic and musical works. For films, sound recordings, computer software etc. it may apply in more limited circumstances.

http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/ipr/fairdealing.htm