In today’s lectorial, we discussed the rules and boundaries of copyright within Australia but also generally. In Australia, we do not have to register material with a copy right symbol in order to protect it, it is automatically done. However ideas are not covered by this protection and if we do have a great idea, the best thing to do is not share it and keep it confidential until you are certain your idea can be turned into a piece of material. This reminded me of Alexander Graham Bell who supposedly invented the telephone, however in 1860, “an Italian named Antonio Meucci first demonstrated his working telephone, (though he called it the “teletrofono,” mostly because Italians are wacky). Eleven years later, (still five years before Bell’s phone came out), he filed a temporary patent on his invention. In 1874, Meucci failed to send in the $10 necessary to renew his patent, because he was sick and poor.”  extract from http://www.cracked.com/article_16072_5-famous-inventors-who-stole-their-big-idea.html