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Editor:  Christopher Dyer Branch: Feedback-Wiki Type: Help Information Intention: For Publication Read/Write Permissions: Open Access

Authors : 07.04.2009 - Christopher Dyer  -  Sci-Mate

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The Sci-Mate uses international Copyright laws and agreements to protect, on behalf of its members, all original content submitted to the site. The Sci-Mate User's Agreement, Privacy Policy and software processes are designed to protect contributor's IP while increasing the value of that IP through application and development. The site provides records and processes to allow easy recognition of original and creative research ideas, knowledge and information to allow members to legally demonstrate ownership of copyrighted material.

The owner or controller of copyright grant the Sci-Mate an unrestricted license to display submitted content, and may also define the wider terms of use through licenses, such as GNU/GPL or Creative Commons. In the case of Wiki-Mate articles, authors grant the Article Editor sufficient license for them to then define subsequent usage of the article. If no license is defined by owners, the site's terms and conditions define a limited form of license for the use of information only in cases where it does not interfer with the commercial or professional interests of the owner(s).

[edit] Copyright Vs Patents

Copyright:

1. Does not isolate ideas and technology from the broader research community;
2. Allows ideas to be applied and develop beyond their first description, either by the owner, or under license by others;
3. Does not require excessive legal and burocratic processing;
4. Lasts the life-time of the contributing author (or group of authors) plus 70 years; and
5. Is FREE.