Copyright gives authors the following exclusive, intangible rights:

• reproduction right: the right to make copies of protected work;

• distribution right: the right to sell or otherwise distribute copies to the public;

• derivative right: the right to create new works (derivative works or adaptations) based on the protected work;

• performance and display rights: the right to perform a protected work, such as a stageplay, or to display a protected work, such as a film, in public (where the specific rights depend on the medium).

Copyrights are a collection of property rights: they belong to their owner and may be sold or otherwise exploited for economic benefit.

Next: Are There Other Copy-rights?
Back: Origin and Intent of Copyright.
Up: Outline of This Session.

Copyright © March, 1997, by Carol Scheftic (based on original work at The Geometry Center and used with permission). All rights reserved.
Please send comments on this page, or requests for permission to re-use material from this page, to: scheftic@geom.umn.edu