Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Summary
Legal Issues in.Computing
Intellectual property (IP) is a legal term that grants people the exclusive rights to the ownership
of content that they have created, such as books, artistic works, photographs, music, software, and
patents. Copyright is a legal protection that usually gives the creator of a work exclusive rights for
a specified time period.
Digital rights management (DRM) involves the use of technology to control access to copyrighted
material in an attempt to prevent the unauthorized copying and distribution of material. When you
install an operating system or software program, you must agree to legal document called an End User
License Agreement (EULA) . The EULA defines what a user can and cannot do with a product.
Open-source software is software that is not only free to use, but whose source code is accessible
to users to modify and redistribute. Although open-source software is about removing licensing
restrictions, many types of open-source software do carry a license, called the General Public
License (GPL) . The GPL enables individuals and companies to legally copy and modify software.
Software piracy is the unauthorized copying of software programs. There are various types of software
piracy, including counterfeit software, corporate piracy, unbundling packages, and Internet piracy.
Ethical Issues in.Computing
Plagiarism is the practice of copying someone else's work and pretending that it is your own. To
avoid plagiarism, use citations when referencing the work of others. You must cite not only the
source of exact wording, but the source of paraphrased ideas.
Censorship is the act of preventing something from being printed or heard. Governments, com-
panies, or individuals can apply forms of censorship by not allowing certain types of information to
be published or distributed.
Filtering means to prevent something from getting through. When you filter the Internet, you
exclude certain categories of content from general access. A proxy server —that is, a server that
sits between the user's web browser and the Internet—is used to filter web content.
Sometimes, online communications become hostile, with personal attacks and insults. This is
called flaming . Libel is the act of putting a false, defamatory statement in writing. Slander is the
verbal version of libel. Slander might consist of negative comments about an individual or group
that are made as part of a conversation.
Spam is unsolicited junk email. Although most email programs include a junk email filter, many of
these emails still slip through to fill users' inboxes, wasting users' valuable time.
Health Issues in.Computing
To combat eyestrain, situate your computer so it is 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 centimeters) from
your face, with your eyes just above the center of the screen. If necessary, adjust the angle of the
screen. Work in incandescent lighting rather than fluorescent when possible, and position your
monitor so that light does not shine directly on it. Use an LCD monitor if possible rather than a
CRT; if you must use a CRT, set its refresh rate to at least 100 Hz. Use as large a monitor as pos-
sible, and take frequent breaks from looking at it.
A good working posture is one in which the body is relaxed and can maintain its position with
minimal physical effort. Even if you use perfect posture, you should take frequent breaks to main-
tain back health. Position your desk and chair so that your thighs and forearms are parallel to the
floor as you work.
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