Professional Issues in IT, 3rd Edition

11 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

After studying this chapter, you should:

• be familiar with the different types of intellectual property that are relevant to IT and understand their applicability;
• understand the rights attached to the different kinds of intellectual property and the ways in which these rights can be enforced;
• be aware of the issues that are at the root of current debates about intellectual property rights.

11.1 WHAT IS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?

If someone steals your bicycle, you no longer have it. If someone takes away a computer belonging to a company, the company no longer has it.

This seems very obvious. In fact, it hides an important and subtle point. If you invent a drug that will cure all known illnesses and leave the ...