The University of Delaware deserves a measure of credit for attempting to inject some levity and graphic appeal to its presentation of university standards on copyright and intellectual property. So, why is it that the smart people behind the yip-ee-ki-yay Western theme (and the cute repurposing of the Blue Hen mascot) are not also able to bring a reasonable measure of care and accuracy to the textual content on the site? Let's start with this obvious absurdity:
HONOR THE BRAND Have you downloaded copyrighted files from the Internet?
Ummm . . . no. NOT plain and simple. There are MANY circumstances where it is both reasonable and ethical to use material with someone else's "brand." For starters, fair use ain't stealin', pardners. In fact, it's the part of the law that allows me to copy the above-cited words from your site and critique them, without fear of having my criticism smashed by means of a copyright-based economic hammer.
On this model, the Delaware student services office could offer a list of "Renter's Resources" with the first two listings being produced by landlord associations! I am astonished that this obviously biased presentation of copyright made it through the university's institutional hoops. And I'm concerned that "resources" like these might supplant good work like The University of Texas System's Crash Course in Copyright.
