What is CopyKnit?

My intention in starting this blog is to have a place to write about US Copyright law as it applies to the knitting community. I have done a bit of study on the topic, and have posted frequently on Ravelry.com about coipyright. But those threads often get heated, and sometimes end up locked. So I want a place where I can save the things I have written and be able to access them easily. I want to be able to collect links and other information in one convenient spot.

So, let's start at the foundation. Copyright law in the US is based on the US Constitution

Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 says:

The Congress shall have power...

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries

This clause covers both Copyright and Patent, the first for authors and the second for inventors, and the purpose is that by passing laws that guarantee that authors and inventors can profit from their creations for a certain time period, they will continue to create, and knowledge will be advanced.