wwp@yahoogroups.com:
Re: copyright violation
Ken Stuart 2004-Jul-31 02:27:00
At 07:11 PM 7/30/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>Don,
>
>thanks for pointing that out. It raises a question for me? How do you
>go about copyrighting your materials? Is the presence of the
>c-in-a-circle sufficient? Do you need to register them somehow?
You need do nothing -- as soon as you create the file and save it on a
tangible medium (such as hard disk, RAM card, CD-ROM, print-out, etc.), you
have copyright on it.
That being said, you may always add the word copyright (or the c in a
circle instead), the date, and your name to a file so that it's explicit
and perhaps head off infringement before it occurs.
Now, in the U.S., if you formally register your file with the Copyright
Office, you gain additional "protection" in that if you sue someone for
infringement, you can collect damages, attorney fees, etc. that you may not
be able to collect if you have not formally registered, even if you win
your suit.
Visit the web site of the copyright office for the necessary forms if you
want to register your work. You fill out the form, submit a payment (about
$30), and send in a copy of your file. You need not pay $30 for each file
you make -- you may submit a CD-ROM, say, that contains numerous files for
the same fee. You can submit your registration any time, but you should do
it as soon as feasible to gain maximum protection since the longer you
wait, the weaker your case might be in a suit.
I am not a lawyer although I have studied copyright law for a while now. If
you ever think you need to bring suit, find a decent intellectual property
lawyer and consult with them. Formal registration should not be required in
any country in this day and age (although it does not hurt to check), but
their formal registration processes may differ and offer differing
privileges when compared to the U.S.
-Ken