A licence, or license in American English, is a legal act that authorizes individuals or organizations to own or use something that belongs to someone else. It serves as an official permission.
Licences cover a broad range of entities, including software, books, and other forms of intellectual property. For instance, an author or publisher may grant a licence allowing another party to print, publish, or sell copies of the book. Licences can also be issued to translate or create derivative works into different languages.
Certain activities require licenses:
– Operating a business from specific premises
– Publicly playing music
– Selling alcoholic beverages
– Driving a vehicle
– Running radio transmitters
Copyrighted materials like books, films, and computer software can likewise necessitate licensing. Such licenses outline duration and geographical coverage while specifying whether commercial usage is permitted.
Overall, licences protect owners’ intellectual property rights by ensuring appropriate compensation for their work and enabling control over its usage. In the context of books specifically, valid licences fulfill several crucial purposes:
- Safeguarding authors’ intellectual property rights.
- Maintaining control over distribution.
- Preserving quality standards.
- Generating revenue to support ongoing creative endeavors.