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Which of the following describes your activities on an average day?
Undoubtedly, you, like millions of others, regularly enjoy one or more of these activities as a means of adding convenience and manageability to your everyday life. And, while you may not have been involved in the actual development of these invaluable innovations, it might surprise you to learn that you still play a critical role in their success and in preserving the creative process that keeps innovations moving from the drafting table, to the marketplace and into the hands of consumers like you. Here’s how.
Recently, you may have purchased a new CD, DVD or piece of software. And, while you have probably never met the developers of these creations in person, by simply making your purchase you have struck a deal with them that is known as a “licensing agreement.” And, if rather than buying the item, you simply chose to copy it, then you would have not only ripped off the creators of the product, but you would have also violated the licensing agreement and endangered the creative process as a whole. While licensing agreements do not always entail the same level of formality as a driver’s or marriage license, they do carry responsibilities and restrictions that dictate what you as the “licensee” can do with the “intellectual properties” encompassed by the items you purchase. Your agreement with owner of an intellectual property, whether it be a song properly ripped from the Web or a prescription medication, officially entitles you as the “licensee” to enjoy all of the benefits of the invention while protecting the rights of the “licensor” to benefit from your use of the product. Imagine the creative process as a ripple on a vast pond that continues to move bright ideas forward from concept to consumer. This ripple of innovation will continue to roll as long as we all do our part to assure that a mutually beneficial relationship exists between creators and consumers. However, if the ripple is disturbed by misuse, then the very process that brings innovation to all of us is placed at risk. You have a choice. You can do your part to keep the ripple of innovation rolling by living up to your responsibilities as a licensee, or you can choose to ignore your obligations, thereby doing your part to cripple the creative process. Imagine the world without invention. Now that you know…..do the right thing! Now that you have the basics and understand your stake in the creative process, let’s explore this vast and often complex topic of licensing in more detail. |
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