Usage Policies

Lab Policies

1. No use of tobacco products or consumption of food or beverage is allowed in most labs.
2. No computer software or other copyright data may be copied using computer hardware located in any open-access, EITS-sponsored site.
3. All clients must complete any printing and be logged off their workstation at lease 15 minutes prior to the posted closing time. Any active jobs on a printer after this time may be purged from the print queue.
4. From the University of Georgia Policies on Use of Computers (Section 15, 4th Paragraph):
5. "There is no University rule that prohibits you from viewing any web page anywhere. However, the University's sexual harassment policy prohibits you from displaying sexually explicit material which interferes with anyone's work or academic performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment."
6. Due to the public nature of EITS Computer Services Sites, viewing or printing of sexually explicit material is not allowed.
7. Client workstations are to be used for academic pursuits, completing work assignments, and advancement of ones' computer skills. Considering the demand for access to the computers located in the EITS open access sites, any game playing, both locally and via the Internet, will be prohibited at peak usage times.

PeachNet Acceptable use policy

Copyright Fair Use Act

One of the rights accorded to the owner of copyright is the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords. This right is subject to certain limitations found in sections 107 through 118 of the Copyright Act (title 17, U. S. Code). One of the more important limitations is the doctrine of "fair use." Although fair use was not mentioned in the previous copyright law, the doctrine has developed through a substantial number of court decisions over the years. This doctrine has been codified in section 107 of the copyright law.

Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered "fair," such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair:

1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The distinction between "fair use" and infringement may be unclear and not easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission.

The 1961 Report of the Register of Copyrights on the General Revision of the U.S. Copyright Law cites examples of activities that courts have regarded as fair use: "quotation of excerpts in a review or criticism for purposes of illustration or comment; quotation of short passages in a scholarly or technical work, for illustration or clarification of the author's observations; use in a parody of some of the content of the work parodied; summary of an address or article, with brief quotations, in a news report; reproduction by a library of a portion of a work to replace part of a damaged copy; reproduction by a teacher or student of a small part of a work to illustrate a lesson; reproduction of a work in legislative or judicial proceedings or reports; incidental and fortuitous reproduction, in a newsreel or broadcast, of a work located in the scene of an event being reported."

Copyright protects the particular way an author has expressed himself; it does not extend to any ideas, systems, or factual information conveyed in the work.

The safest course is always to get permission from the copyright owner before using copyrighted material. The Copyright Office cannot give this permission.

When it is impracticable to obtain permission, use of copyrighted material should be avoided unless the doctrine of "fair use" would clearly apply to the situation. The Copyright Office can neither determine if a certain use may be considered "fair" nor advise on possible copyright violations. If there is any doubt, it is advisable to consult an attorney.

FL-102, Revised July 2006

Digital Milennium Copyright Act

Follow the link below to view an overview of the DMCA.