Copyrights

[Laura Bishop]

So, um, not looking for insults or anything here... o.O

I was just going to offer this little bit of Poor Man's Advice here.  I used to mentor under this great Philosophy professor who also happened to be a successfully published screen writer (only in Santa Barbara, that's all I'm gonna say  ; ).  When he found out I had a few pieces written myself and was looking for a place to publish, he gave me this little bit of advice:

• Go and get it printed in the most legible format you can.  Go to Kinkos, get them to do their extra spiffy bang up job.  Pay the extra 4 bucks.  "Trust me," he said.  

• Get a keen manila envelop and address it to yourself.

• Set your super readable copy in the manila envelop and drop it off at the post office.

• Once you get it back, hide it in the back of your closet and don't worry about it again.

The reason for all this was, if you were too poor to afford copyright registration, or submitting it to... crap.  Submitting it to the big swanky Get Your Literary Work Registered Place In Downtown LA That Is In Cahoots With SAG (and who's name totally flew out of my head at midnight), then what you now have is a governmentally stamped, sealed and dated package that holds your work.  I was told this will most certainly hold up in an American court of law.  I can't say as I've ever had chance to test this though, true.

No, it isn't as cool as an official copyright, but if you're living from paycheck to paycheck in a stinky SB apartment eating macaroni and cheese while you "suffer" for your art, it's a cheap alternative. ; )

This is offered more as an alternative than a solution for actual copyright.  It just may be an option no one thought of yet.  I know I didn't until Joe told me about it. : )

-- L

[Gordon C. Landis]

. . . and I've heard (from many folks, no one of which is a PARTICULAR authority) that nowadays (perhaps the past was different) the whole "mail it to yourself" thing means nothing - proves nothing, establishes nothing, and is at best marginally useful if you should be so unfortunate as to end up in court.

Just one datapoint,

Gordon C. Landis

[Ian O'Rourke]

How does this all relate to a website? Say if I want to copyright Fandomlife.net?

It might be all pointless, but is the name more a trademark issue? What about the articles on the site?

Again as I said, not something I've overly thought about, but this is interesting.

Since I live in the UK this probably all different anyway :smile:

[Matt Machell]

Okay, I don't know too much about this, but I know the following:

The US didn't sign up to some international copyright treaty (Berne I think), so anything that is true for the US is probably wrong for the rest of the world (and anybody else who didn't sign).

For UK copyright info http://www.cla.co.uk/copyrightvillage/yrownwork1.html has some useful FAQs

And documents published on the internet can be copyrighted, according to that site, in the UK at least.

Matt

[ This Message was edited by: Matt on 2001-08-30 07:38 ]

[Valamir]

The site posted earlier has additional information.

Circular 38a details copyright treaties we have with other nations.  And the Digital Millenium Copyright Act addresses some on-line issues, although most of the part I read was primariy focused on digital audio webcasts.

[JSDiamond]

I just want to post this apology to Valamir:

I'm sorry for losing my head.  Name-calling is certainly uncalled for.  I hope you accept my apology.

Jeff Diamond

[Dav]

All:

I am just going to realte my experiences and knowledge in this department.

When Obsidian was about to be released, I went and spoke to a copyright lawyer.  He told me (in many more words than this) "ain't no thang".  He said that unless I am going to plan on making giant megabucks with this project (well into 6 figures gross), don't bother.  

Publication establishes prima facie for legal precedents.  Also, many landmark cases within this area have upheld that previously unregistered copyrights regarding the press industry are enforceable as intellectual property of the owners.  This means that you can go apeshit and sue (with cause) anyone who infringes on your little pond.  

However, as the game industry has historically been rather "open" regarding genre, "buzz words", and other such terms, I am uncertain of the actual outcome for such a case.

Anyway, in the end, we didn't bother going "official" with copyrights.  We didn't do the mail to self idea (though it does work, but use REGISTERED mail, and keep the receipt you sign upon delivery).  We just said "don't copy this or we come for you" (or the general text to that effect).

My advice to small press and indie publishers:  don't bother, you have limited funds (or at least, more than likely have limited funds), so spend 'em only where you have to.  If you make it big (really big), consult a copyright lawyer.  My general rule of thumb is:  if your sales gross 80 grand or more per year, think about it.  If not, don't sweat it.


Anyway, just weighing in with my couple of pennies.

Dav