Copyrights...

PFC · Still very bored Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Posts: 343

On the topic of copyrights, does it cost money to copyright? Is it hard to do it? Can anyone get a copyright, or have one? These are just a few questions I figured I'd ask for future reference.

Coronae · Very bored Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 137

Anything I know would be in the US. Other rules in other places, I don't know.

You hold an intellectual copyright on anything original you create: art, writing, or otherwise. If it's tangible, that is. You can't copyright a philosophy or a general idea, but if you write a book about philosophy or a general idea, you may copyright that.

Taken straight from the US Copyright Office:

[quote]"Copyright covers both published and unpublished works... Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.[/quote]

So a copyright is in place from the moment of creation onward. Copyright registration is voluntary, and the only reason you'd really need to register your copyright is if think you might need to go to court over infringement.

You might have heard about a "Poor Man's Copyright" which is just sealing a copy of your work (used mostly for literature) to yourself in the mail and never unsealing it. The postal date shows when it was created. However, that holds absolutely no weight in court.

Anyone of any age can hold/register a copyright, but sometimes different states deal with it differently. You'd need to consult someone in your state on that.

But if you're not in the US that probably didn't help.

PFC · Still very bored Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Posts: 343

I'm in the US, and that answered my question better than I though it could be answered. Thanks a ton.

*Edit* There was one thing I noticed when I went to the Copyright website. You need to send thirty dollars with your work to them, and then they can copyright it. I know what you quoted is another thing they said, and I would really like to know why they have these two different rules that almost seem to contradict each other. I'll have to look into it more.

The reason I wanted to know, was because, as any artist would say, I like to have my work belong to me. I don't want it ripped off, or any other sort of thing. I don't know. :wacko: Sad

Breloom · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:04 pm Post subject:

I don't really know much on this but I'm pretty sure once you create something it's instantly your the moment you sign it... regestering it via copyright just gives you that piece of paper saying that its yours, you own it, and if someone trys to steal it you have more proof that it's yours because you went and got the legal paper classifying it.
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cstdenis · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:47 pm Post subject:

Registering a copyright costs money and just gives more legal protection if it goes to court because you have proof you did it and when.
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Coronae · Very bored Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 137

^ Exactly what they said. And you're welcome!

PFC · Still very bored Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Posts: 343

Thanks for all your input. I guess it's probably only worth getting one if you really want to protect your stuff... Maybe when I get older. Who knows. Have any of you actually put a copyright on your stuff?

Coronae · Very bored Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 137

I haven't payed thirty bucks to copyright my stuff, no, but I'm working on a novel and you can bet yer britches I'm gonna copyright it as soon as it is completely finished. Very Happy

anime-junkie · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:08 am Post subject:

me is not quite sure, but i think you can like take a picture but not publish it as your own work, i mean, like if someone drew a pic and you said "OMG i LOVE that" and click "save pic as" AND not copy it onto something that you shouldnt put it on E.g: website, Competitions, FAC, ect, you can take the picture. but, you can just sign a pic, and that is basically copyrighted
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Coronae · Very bored Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 137

^... ?

Nah, you can't copyright someone else's stuff, if that's what you're saying. You can save the pics you find online to your comp, that's perfectly acceptable, since you're not claiming it as your own.

pink_blossom · Still very bored Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 323

You just put alittle c in a circle and your all good to go.. right?

I think it included purchasing copyright over the name, so that anything that is produced under that name cannot be re-produced or used without permission from the copyright holder.
What it cost I don't know.

I think the best thing to do is get a cult following and so then if anyone copies anything you do your cult will burn them. Muhaha.

anime-junkie · Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:45 am Post subject:

[quote="Coronae (Jessica)"] ^... ?

Nah, you can't copyright someone else's stuff, if that's what you're saying. You can save the pics you find online to your comp, that's perfectly acceptable, since you're not claiming it as your own. [/quote]
yeh, thats wat i meant ^-^

"THANK GOD SOMEONE HAS MY VIEWS!"
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