The commerce of ideas: copyright in the digital era

Copyright law concerns the rights of an individual to make copies of published works. Changes in technology, be they the introduction of the printing press or the proliferation of photocopy machines, affect how these "copy rights" are interpreted. The transmission of published works over digital networks and the introduction of new and relatively inexpensive ways to conduct commerce over the same networks will have a profound effect on how medical school faculty protect their own published works and how they make use of the published works of others. When copyright law moves from tangible objects such as books and journals to intangible bits carried over a network, many historic notions about the nature of publications and libraries will be called into question. The authors review the history of copyright law and some basic concepts of copyright, particularly "first sale" and "fair use." They also discuss the effects past technological changes have had on the law and on the often-competing concerns of authors, publishers, and readers/users. Finally, they discuss the implications for medical schools of digital publications, digital libraries, and the proposed changes to copyright law.