The technological subcommittee has investigated a number of avenues to use technology to prevent copyright infringement or abuse. They are as follows:
Streaming media (such as provided by Real media) presents audio and video over the Internet without asking the user to download any files. Likewise, the browser does not create a duplicate copy in the user's temporary file cache, as it would if the file is embedded in the HTML code. Streaming is also beneficial because users with low bandwidth are more likely to be able to view media that is streamed as opposed to downloading large files. Of course, users with the proper technical savvy and access to proper software may be able to "capture" the streaming media and copy it. Nevertheless, this appears to be a reasonable attempt to prevent copyright infringement.
Several options were possible to prevent graphics from being copied from a Web page, but most of these measures involve using JavaScript to "break" the right mouse button access to the "Save Picture As…" command. Because WebCT does not work well with embedded JavaScript code (because it conflicts with WebCT's use of JavaScript), another solution was needed. Ultimately, the best solution for WebCT is the most simple. All copyrighted images should be given a text caption using a graphics program such as Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. This caption could read "©2003 by (fill in the blank). Used with permission by Washburn University" or "Used without permission through fair use." Again, users with the proper software could save the image and crop the caption off, but it is a reasonable attempt to prevent copyright infringement. Watermarks could also be employed to "brand" the image as a Washburn University image, thus allowing WU to trace any of our images that appear on other Web sites.
The third scenario the technological committee investigated dealt with displaying text in such a way that it could not be copied or printed. Adobe (makers of PDF format files and readers) offer such security for their files. A user can create PDF files that are password protected by using Distiller. This will prevent a file from being edited by unauthorized persons. In addition, the print feature can be completely disabled so PDF files on the Web are viewable but cannot be printed. A nice additional feature is that users cannot use their browser's print function to print these files either. Printing is completely disabled.