Transcript Slide 1

Data (n):
1) pieces of information.
2) information.
3) A collection of object-units that are
distinct from one another.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/data
Database (n):
A collection of (usually) organized
information in a regular structure, usually
but not necessarily in a machine-readable
format accessible by a computer.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/database
'information” ?
“Just the facts, ma'am.”
empirical observations
eg: dimensions of
tofer618 - IMG_0494
not
US Code 17 § 102(b)
“In no case does copyright protection for an
original work of authorship extend to any idea,
procedure, process, system, method of operation,
concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the
form in which it is described, explained, illustrated,
or embodied in such work.”
US Code 17 § 102(b)
“In no case does copyright protection for an
original work of authorship extend to any idea,
procedure, process, system, method of operation,
concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the
form in which it is described, explained, illustrated,
or embodied in such work.”
Feist Publications, Inc.
v.
Rural Telephone Service Co.
(1991)
Yellow Pages – Silver Tusk
“Iceland phonebook is sorted on first names” selmerv
"sweat of the brow"
“Because Rural's white pages lack the requisite
originality, Feist's use of the listings cannot
constitute infringement. This decision should not
be construed as demeaning Rural's efforts in
compiling its directory, but rather as making clear
that copyright rewards originality, not effort.”
“copyright rewards originality, not effort.”
Copyrightability of Data
Copyrightability of Data
“you don't copyright the bricks,
you copyright the whole house”
(ish)
tougher
MetOffice: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/
even tougher
Source: GeoEye
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:X-ray.jpg by Rotemdan
What about databases?
US:
EU
database as compilation
Database Directive
(Feist still applies)
(there is no Feist)
“Member States shall provide for a right for the
maker of a database which shows that there has
been qualitatively and/or quantitatively a
substantial investment in either the obtaining,
verification or presentation of the contents to
prevent extraction and/or re-utilization of the
whole or of a substantial part, evaluated
qualitatively and/or quantitatively, of the contents
of that database.”
Source http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31996L0009:EN:HTML
“Member States shall provide for a right for the
maker of a database which shows that there has
been qualitatively and/or quantitatively a
substantial investment in either the obtaining,
verification or presentation of the contents to
prevent extraction and/or re-utilization of the
whole or of a substantial part, evaluated
qualitatively and/or quantitatively, of the contents
of that database.”
Source http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31996L0009:EN:HTML
“Member States shall provide for a right for the
maker of a database which shows that there has
been qualitatively and/or quantitatively a
substantial investment in either the obtaining,
verification or presentation of the contents to
prevent extraction and/or re-utilization of the
whole or of a substantial part, evaluated
qualitatively and/or quantitatively, of the contents
of that database.”