In the UK the whole thing with copyright is sort of along the same lines, though there is a boundary for photocopying things. If you copy from a book, you cannot copy more than 10% here without having to get specific consent. If you're copying from a journal, you cannot copy more than one article without specific consent.
In that sense it comes down to what you are copying.
But as for computer games, which have a worldwide audience and where you don't necessarily have a 'publisher' in every country, it might depend on the applicable laws - which again comes down to the country you live in or the terms and conditions of the contract that you have when buying and using the software.
The case of the Professor in Georgia is interesting - it shows how different countries and maybe even different states in the US take the same (copyright) law and interpret it in a slightly different way. It's why there isn't always a clear answer here - the laws of our countries all vary slightly, but enough to make a difference sometimes.
And yes Jane, I'm a lawyer, I do litigation in here in London.
In that sense it comes down to what you are copying.
But as for computer games, which have a worldwide audience and where you don't necessarily have a 'publisher' in every country, it might depend on the applicable laws - which again comes down to the country you live in or the terms and conditions of the contract that you have when buying and using the software.
The case of the Professor in Georgia is interesting - it shows how different countries and maybe even different states in the US take the same (copyright) law and interpret it in a slightly different way. It's why there isn't always a clear answer here - the laws of our countries all vary slightly, but enough to make a difference sometimes.
And yes Jane, I'm a lawyer, I do litigation in here in London.
David
