Chapter 4- Part 1

Name: Chelsie Suttell Class time: 11 AM
KEEP THIS TO 1-3 – PAGES LONG (EXCLUDING REFERENCE PAGE)

Author: Sara Baase
Date of Publication: January 2008
Book: A Gift of Fire
Sections read: Chapter 4, 4.1-4.3

1. (Knowledge)Tell three interesting elements of this chapter:
a. How the Internet effects copyright so strongly.
b. Computers made high quantity distribution easy and cheap.
c. Napster and copyright infringement.

2. (Comprehension) Summarize what is being discussed within this chapter?

The main topic being discussed in this chapter is copyright. What is infringing upon copyright and how more recent technology has made it easier to breakthrough copyright legally and illegally.


3. (Application) Name a specific example or NEW solution for this type of problem/similar situation in society or that you have experienced – BE SPECIFIC AND EXPLAIN?

An example from chapter four that I have experienced is the Napster case. Instead of using Napster though, I used Lime wire. Both are services used to download free music. “Napster opened on the Web in 1999 as a service allowing users to copy songs in MP3 files from the hard disks of other users” (Baase 209). Napster was investigated because it was considered illegal by the legal system. It was supposedly infringing upon copyright issues, as well as the service I had used (Lime wire). Eventually Lime wire was shut down by court investigations and it was no longer available to any users to download MP3s.


4. (Analysis)Address ANY that apply. How can you compare one of the situations in this chapter to something that does not relate to computers, technology, or the Internet? Be sure to reference the chapter and your solution. What ideas NEW can you add to the issue that is being presented within the reading? Try to connect what you have by reading this article and how it applies to the stages in Bloom's taxonomy in 2 full sentences.

A situation I can compare that does not apply to computers, technology, or the Internet is when you buy a new pair of shoes and your best friend happens to love them. The next day she shows up with the same exact shoes that you had bought and takes all the credit for YOUR fashion sense. Although it is not illegal to do this, it is against social and moral code. It would make me very angry if someone took something that I came up with and took full credit for MY idea. “In the 1960’s growth in illegal sales of unauthorized copies of recorded music accompanied the growth of the music industry” (Baase 204). Not only has illegally downloading music put a big slump in the economy of the music industry, it has also caused a lot of viruses in our computers because some of the MP3 files that we download are not safe for our software. Reading this article made me think about Bloom’s Taxonomy and how it comes into place when it comes to sharing and downloading music. I must apply all the steps of Bloom’s taxonomy to make sure that what I am doing is safe. I also need to realize whether it is illegal or not and if I am infringing upon a certain software’s copyright.

5. (Synthesis) Address all that apply. Do you agree with what is being said within the article (Why/Why not? Back up with FACTS)? What new conclusions can you draw about this (or other topics) after reading this material?

I do agree with what is being said in the article. I agree with the fact that making unauthorized copies of music should be illegal because it is stealing in everyway. It is just easier to do because you are in the comfort of your own home without everyone witnessing your illegal act. Although I commit the act myself, it has become an everyday thing to be able to download music for free. I try to buy as much of my music as possible because it is much better quality, but when I don’t have the money to do so, downloading MP3s is my last resort. “Almost 100 million MP3 files were available on the service. A survey by Webnoize of more than 4,000 college students found that almost 75% of them used Napster at least once a month” (Baase 209). A conclusion I have drawn after reading this chapter is to be more careful with what I am doing on these services because they are illegal and it could put me in legal danger if I am not more aware of what I am infringing upon.

6. (Evaluation) Address all that apply. Judge whether or not this topic is relevant in today’s society? Evaluate why you are viewing the topic in this manner based on your experiences. What ethical evaluations (see Chap1-1.4 for exp of Ethics) or decisions were made/can be assumed from this chapter? What new ideas will you make after reading this chapter?

This topic is more than relevant in today’s society because recent technologies have made it incredibly easy to infringe upon copyright issues. “Computers and communications technologies made high quality copying and high quantity distribution extremely easy and cheap” (Baase 201). For example, high-speed broadband Internet connections have made it easy to make quick transfers of huge files. Before recent technologies, individuals themselves did not have to worry about copyright law, but now with all the MP3 download services it has become more common for individuals to deal with.




References

Baase, Sara. “A Gift of Fire.” Copyright Law and Significant Cases: (January 2008): 197-212.