Determining the likeness of a verbatim or parody text to its original is infuriating. Other than estimating the percentage of two things' likeness, I'm not sure how exactly courts judge whether an item falls under Fair Use or not. If likeness basements or ceilings existed (which I don't see how they couldn't), the substantiality in Fair Use cases might be easier to ascertain. That sort of practice is already apparent in Fair Use not covering the "heart" of intellectual property -- so couldn't the "heart" of something be weighted more heavily in a percentage? And I'm still wrestling with how assembled ideas can be unique enough for copyright. This is obviously a question deeper than a four-month class can handle, but -- does a thing have to be unique or significantly unique?
Category: reflections
Reflection on Fair Use
The images that I used for the gallery, were taken by myself using my own two hands and camera. They are stored and saved on my computer.
Lesson 3 Reading Reflection
The images I found for lesson 3 were from Google, so they are easily accessible. I didn't embed any citation information, as I think I've heard previously that you can use images from Google for educational purposes, and the book clarifies that. However, I think there is a misconception that any image found on Google can be used for any purpose, which is far from the truth. If you look up, "Alyssa Hernandez pittsburgh," my image will come up. That doesn't mean anyone can take my image and use it for whatever purpose, as it technically has a copyright on it, unofficially. At least, that's what I've heard anyway; I've heard that any artist/creator has an unofficial copyright on their work, and if someone else tries to use it, the original creator (if there is no official copyright) must provide proof that they created it first. However, I have also heard that as long as a user modifies found images, they are free to use them for whatever purpose.
Reflection on Copyright Reading
I thought that it was interesting to read this article and think about everything that is copyrighted. I also starting to think about hollywood and pop culture. The first thing that came to mind was celebrities that have their own brands, like the Kardashians. So I googled, "Can Kim Kardashian copyright her name?" This came up as trademark which I quickly learned is very different. A "trademark" is to assure the public that products and services are indeed coming from a certain person or entity (forbes.com).
Lesson 3 – Reflection
Prior to the reading, I felt that it was actually very difficult to infringe upon most copyright laws. I was well aware of the fact that most of them have very tight-knit specifications on what external users can and cannot do in terms of material use, but I didn't realize how easy it was to enforce and elaborate on those set rules. Though they seem overtly specific, the copyright laws typically cover a very broad spectrum of elements within overall product design. Something as simple and (seemingly) obsolete as the font used on Coca-Cola cans can easily infringe upon copyright laws if the proper precautions are not taken and clearances are not obtained. I think that the way these laws are enforced is a bit excessive sometimes, but I fully understand the reason behind their nitpicking; if I was the first soda company to make a marketable soft drink containing cocaine, I wouldn't want it being mistaken for some cheap Pepsi knock off.
A Reflection on Fair Use
Output:
Some Reading Questions
Just a few things that popped into my head as I was reading the documents on fair use for tomorrows class:
Fair Use Reflection & Questions
For the pictures I added to our gallery, I picked images from three movies (Killer's Kiss (1955) by Stanley Kubrick, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) by Stanley Kubrick, and Black Swan (2010) by Darren Aronofsky). I think I understand the general ideas of the Fair Use rules, so I will explain my reasoning for why it is ok to use those images for a school project. (1) The purpose if using it for a digital media project would be to transform the images in some way to add a new meaning to it. (2) The movies are published works, but they are fictional which could potentially lead to trouble. (3) I would only be using one image out of movies that contain multiple hours worth of images. However, especially the image from 2001, is a very famous image, so that one is a little trickier, but not a big deal for a school project. and (4) It is just a school project that I use for educational purposes, and I have no intention to try to sell it. I think if I were to print the images out unaltered and put them up in a gallery and made them for sale, I would run into some issues. But if I collage the images together in an interesting way for school, I think it is ok, but giving credit to the directors would not hurt.
Lesson 3 Reflection
Reading the section of fair use and copyright reminded me of this one episode of Nathan For You. Nathan planned to rename a coffee shop "Dumb Starbucks", but was told that he would be sued unless he could establish himself as a well-known parody artist, like Weird Al. After marketing himself as a parody artist, he decided he was technically in the clear to parody Starbucks' name. I was wondering if this was actually enough to help him escape copyright infringement, or if it only worked as a loophole on TV (I get that it's only a comedy show).
Low Fi Manifesto Reaction
I had previously only heard the phrase "low fi" used in relation to fuzzy sounding indie music. As I continued to read the manifesto I gained a great deal of respect for the points Stolley was trying to make. We must first understand the parts of a whole before we can really know what is going on. We have essentially skipped learning the language of the programs that have become so ubiquitous in our lives. His Powerpoint example is especially telling as the phrase "slideshow" as been phased out in favor of the Microsoft Branded "PowerPoint". He argues that it is essential to learn the parts of the system before we can feel like we confidently understand the most popular programs used today. It makes a good deal of sense that using the most low-fi programs and avenues we will be able to be more adaptable and reach a wider audience with our original content. As far as the Git videos, they seem helpful despite how scary coding can seem. The program seems to have fairly user friendly interface. Overall, I'm pretty much sold on wanting to learn more about low-fi programs and how we can break down the programs we have become so unconsciously used to.
Reflection to Stolley and GitHub
Although I was a bit confused when first reading Stolley’s piece (I’m not experienced at all in coding and related technology development), going through each item on the Manifesto and reading about it cleared things up. It was interesting to hear about the various types of software that exist already as well as the reality that there will always be more kinds being created. This idea was mentioned in different ways throughout the Manifesto so it stuck out to me. Another part that I paused to think more about was about designing a project “for the most constrained users and devices.” The goal is to please even those without access to the bells and whistles that more advanced technology and platforms can offer. It’s important for users to still be able to experience the digital artifact with ease and clarity. After watching ad videos on GitHub and joining it myself, I noticed how collaborative-friendly the software is. This is something I can really appreciate and look forward to. Stolley’s Manifesto highlighted an idea also mentioned and demonstrated in GitHub and that was the tracking of history so that any change made throughout the process of the project can be referred to and accessed.
Lesson 2 Reflection
At first, even with a little coding experience, I was very confused reading Stolley's article. However, by the end of all of the GitHub videos, it started to make a little sense. From what I'm understanding, lo-fi production technologies are the preferred method of coding (and such) if practicality is the goal. If aesthetics are the goal, then hi-fi technologies are probably the way to go. I have to agree with Stolley's fifth major point, as she says, "If a hi-fi element seems necessary, keep researching until you conclude that it isn't." In my opinion, people mainly use the web as a way to share things, whether it's with themselves (such as documents via Google Drive or via email), or with others (such as social media). If that is the goal, then why would anyone not want their content to be consistent across all devices/platforms?
Lo-fi, Github Reflection!
I’m rather conflicted. On the one hand, the technical magic and tricks Stolley presents are snazzy and useful. But on the other, much of the material so far rings of ancient things I’ve learned. My thoughts about art and production get to me.
Stolley’s Manifesto and Git/GitHub reflections
As someone who, at this point, is quite unfamiliar with coding and this type of digital media speak, I think that one of the main points that I took from Stolley's Manifesto is that lo-fi production technologies are built to be changed. They are "modular and swappable" but also seem to be ever improving. Many of the manifestos touched on a point that there will always be another program or software out there that is better or more appropriate, proving that change is inevitable. This requires constant learning and seeking of knowledge by the individual to stay abreast with the changes in the technological world. Learning about Git, GitHub, and other version control systems helped to solidify that thought due to the level of importance of tracking the changes that are made by an individual or a team to a particular project.
Lesson 2- Reflection
After reading Stolley’s manifesto, I wasn’t entirely convinced of his argument. As someone who has taken a handful of coding classes, I know that it helps to familiarize yourself with the process and software that creates the content you intend to put out there. Keeping that in mind, I didn’t think having a deep understanding of the software is essential as he makes it seem. For instance, we use various platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc., that are user-friendly enough to allow people to post written content with ease. I think this all works similarly to driving a car- you don’t need to need the intricacies of the vehicle itself to understand how to operate it. However, after watching the GitHub tutorials, I think have a better understanding of what he means. Having a level of proficiency in these tools is becoming an essential part of how we represent media, and the nature of version control/revision makes it an ever-changing platform that requires a base understanding of how it works. Logic, structure, and revision are as essential to coding as they are to writing.
Revision and Risk
Stolley's manifesto is fair, but harsh, and insightful, but limits the human ability. Just like we did not learn to be good, or even half decent writers, in a day, we cannot be expected to learn all of the ins and outs of digital, in a day, or even a lifetime. However, I believe Stolley limits the potential of human ability. The thing with writing, and even more so, digital media, is that it can in my opinion never be perfected. With the changing and growing human intellect writing can continue to become more poetic, more engaging, and is variable as time goes along. The same goes for digital. No one has yet to crack all of the boundaries of this medium, so for Stolley to talk about limitation, version control, and that individuals need to command lo-fi before exploring hi-fi is robbing ourselves of exploration. Because digital is so variable, the ways in which we learn it should be also. After viewing the GitHub tutorials, I think the platform will be a good means in which to explore revision safely, but also provide the opportunity for risk (and reward).
an argument for lo-fi github use, and learning more about your computer generally
Hello all, resident Git fanatic here. I'm already familiar with Git and Github: I've used it on a large professional project, taught people to use it for their smaller professional projects, and I keep all my projects on Github. My public profile is gabikeane if you want to poke around my repos or snatch my code.
Reflection on Revision/Version Control
As a writer, I am very familiar with the idea of revision. Over the years I have learned the absolute necessity of revision in the writing process. I now know that I would not be the writer I am today if I hadn't sat through many workshops of my work. But when I was younger, I thought that revision meant the same thing as editing. I thought it was changing some commas and deleting or adding a sentence or two. It wasn't until I started taking writing classes that I learned that revision is a lot more than just making a few changes; it is challenging yourself to push your work to greater heights. Revision is accepting the fact that everything we create can become better and better with more time, effort, and an open-mind to suggestions/criticism. Of course, part of the revision process may also lead to some failures and wrong choices along the way, so that is why it is very important to keep records of all drafts and changes that you (or someone else) makes to a piece of creative work.
