CIS 421 Multimedia on the Web

Fair Use based on Dr. Guthrie's criteria)

Copying graphics or text off of the web, a book, a video, a person....is plagiarism and a violation of copyright law. However, recognizing that you are not a graphic artist, sports photographer or specifications engineer, using some graphics and text is acceptable for the purpose of this course. As a requirement, you will keep a source log of the graphics and text that you 'borrow' and indicate how you changed them. See the sample log for the level of detail. Posting this source log on your web site is a requirement of each project.

Acceptable for this Class

Graphics

• Pictures scanned from books
• Emblems of Sports Teams, Computer Games, etc.
• Sports Figures
• Movie Stars
• Anime, Cartoon Characters
• Icons for Mastercard, Visa, Under Construction...etc

You are still required to make a source log and detail what pictures you borrowed and how you altered them. If your site uses lots of graphics that you did not change, it will lower your grade.

Suggestion: Photoshop provides tools to alter graphics in many ways: changing the colors, combining multiple images into one image, cropping images, applying filters to part of an image, applying Photoshop Actions - bring your work to a higher level

Text

• Product Information - Phones, Cars, Toys, Prices
• Sports Statistics
• Player Bios
• Schedules, Dates, Venues
• Anything you quote appropriately.

You need to log the text you borrowed in the same way you log the graphics.

If you copy text outright, you are required to put it inside quotes and write (at the top) where the copy came from - better to paraphrase text, shorten it -- and make a note at the bottom of the page where you got it..

Suggestion: Do an image-intensive site that doesn't require a great deal of text - "a picture is worth a thousand words!".

An acceptable quote is made by using the APA style guide.

Design and Code

Web authoring tools are fine to use, except Frontpage. Frontpage changes image file names and pages and creates very cluttered web pages that take a long time to download.

Use Cascading Style Sheets to separate content from presentation. Your pages download faster and are more accessible to disabled users.

• Using a web authoring tool to build your code.
• Using scripts from JavaScript libraries.

Copying a Script and then altering it to suit your purpose is fine.

Usually, in the source code, you identify the author and how you altered the code.

Suggestion: Don't use a lot of frivolous technology. Think about what it makes sense for your site to do, then figure out how to do it. It is easier than just copying scripts without thinking.

Remember -- Less is more!

Unacceptable for this Class

Graphics

• Logos, graphics, photos "borrowed" without changing them
• Downloading and using photos from the web without changing them -- you get higher grades if your content is original rather than borrowed --
• Downloading and using animated gifs -- create your own if you need to use them!
• Using graphics designed by another student.

Suggestion: The purpose of this class is to learn how to design and create a multimedia web site using some industry-strength tools. If you simply borrow material, you do not learn how to use the tools. So give yourself a break and learn skills that will be useful to you in the future!

Text

• Promotional information on products copied verbatim.
• Histories of countries, people, authors, etc., that you copy verbatim
• Stories copied verbatim.
• Descriptions, copied verbatim.
• ...just about everything from anywhere. You need to write your own copy.

Suggestion: One day, this will save your life. Any web developer will tell you that the part of their project that takes the longest is waiting for the client to give you copy. Being able to write zippy copy will make people think you are a genius.

If you really cannot write and are afraid to see me for help, stick to an image-based site using phrases, quotes or animated text. Make the graphics your strength.

Code

• Copying the design and layout from another site.
• Copying source code from another site.

Suggestion: The more thoroughly you learn to design, script and program, the more marketable you will be when you look for a job!