Cyberspace Copyright: Graphics for Formatting

In today's (WWW) world, more and more graphics are implemented within the format of home pages. Graphics for format means the use of icons, pictures, or geometric figures in the home page to enhance the usability of the site . The use of these figures allows the site user to "click" on them and link to some other location within or outside the home page. A good example of graphics for formatting would be the use of red hot chilli peppers instead of bullets for a bulletted list.

Now, if Mr. X decides to develop his own home page, is he allowed to copy the graphics format from Mr. Y's copyrighted site? Is Mr. X responsible for asking permission before copying the format? Well, in this case, Mr. X must get permission from Mr. Y in order to use the same format. Alternatively, Mr. X could retrieve the information from the other site as long as he writes the copyright notice from the site. As an example of this belief, Builder's Graphics, a home design and drafting firm in Arizona, has a copyright notice and gives permission to any reader to copy their documents and graphics as long as the copyright notice is also included. For more information, refer to their copyright notice.


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Copyright 1996 Allan Kotmel and Paulo Morales
Created for Writing to the World Wide Web at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Questions and comments can be emailed to Allan at kotmea@rpi.edu or to Paulo at moralp@rpi.edu