New website - Copyright

[Birdie1483]

I'm making a website for my new freelance work and have noticed most sites have a copyright at the bottom. I"m a little confused on this and was wondering if someone could explain to me what exactly their copyrighting and how I can go about doing the same. For example, the bottom of this page says "Copyright ©2000 - 2007, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd." Can someone explain to me what this is and how to go about getting it for my website? I feel like an idiot :)

[CkretAjint]

"Copyright ©2000 - 2007,"
It is copyrighted from 2000 through 2007

"Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd."
The person/company that created it. Anything you design is basically automatically copyrighted... It's YOUR logo, YOUR site, YOUR content. Just doesn't have official paperwork attached to it.

[Birdie1483]

So do I need to do anything with the U.S. Copyright Office?

[CkretAjint]

So do I need to do anything with the U.S. Copyright Office?

*I* would file paperwork with them... But if you change your site layout every 6 months or so it could get annoying. Especially at the pace that the USCO moves.... Definately your logo though!

[Birdie1483]

Well that was the confusing part. I'm guessing I file my logo under the VA form, but it all started sounding like Greek to me. Especially since I have a short attention span when I'm reading stuff I don't understand! Have you done this before?

[carter the artist]

truthfully, You don't need to register anything. By the law, you own the copyright at point of conception. Now, it is advisable to state that it is copyrighten, since it seems these days people don't care, but at least it is there as a notice that you own the rights.

[CkretAjint]

Have you done this before?

Honestly? Nope... I make my business partner do it all. :D

But it doesn't seem to hard once you get teh ball rolling. You gotta remember that the government runs this. So there is no buttering up or sugar coating of anything. It is about as straight forward and dry as you can get. So just pull up your boot straps and trek on through the muck. Besides if you do something wrong or incorrectly I am sure you will get a nice letter in the mail from them telling you to try again. :)

[Birdie1483]

Awesome thanks! I think this helps. If anyone else has any input, please feel free to tell me because I"m still a beginner with this legal stuff!

[JT214]

I have read that you could print whatever you design/created out. Then put it in an envolop and mail it to yourself. Make sure that it has a date stamp from the post office. DO NOT open it ever unless it's to prove some copyright issue in court or where ever. I heard this refered to as the poor mans copyright. Don't really know if it would ever hold water. Anyway my 2 cents. :)

[Birdie1483]

I read about that on the U.S. Copyright website but they said it wasn't true. Thanks for the input though!

[carter the artist]

I read about that on the U.S. Copyright website but they said it wasn't true. Thanks for the input though!

The website doesn't say it isn't true, it says that it is not an adequate substitution. OF course a company that sells something will tell you that.

The idea of self mailing a version, or A.K.A. "Poor Man's Copyright", is just to merely have a dated piece of evidence. I have heard stories that this will hold up in court, but I don't know.

The thing is, When you create something, you automatically hold a copyright to it. We Usually write the copyright somewhere on there so that people KNOW that it is copywritten material and not Public Domain. However, it is not truthfully necessary to even state that it is copywritten, but it helps. The fear is that someone will come along and "Steal" your idea and try to "Prove" they allegedly created it before you and in fact you stole it from them. That's the fear.

[Birdie1483]

Oh ok! See it was all Greek to me.

[PrintDriver]

<see PrintDriver busily steaming PO-stamped envelopes over in the corner, heh heh heh.>

[carter the artist]

<see PrintDriver busily steaming PO-stamped envelopes over in the corner, heh heh heh.>


Which is why the "poor-mans" is somewhat unreliable.

The truth is, Put a copyright notice whenever you can, but understand someone will steal something you do eventually (hopefully, because in my opinion only when someone steals your work have you proven how great you are.), in which case you must raise a bit of a stink (if you don't then the next person can somewhat "legally" steal from you since you haven't pursued your copyright.)

This is why people keep getting C&D letters. If a company doesn't "Protect" their copyrights, then the subsequent people can try to use that as why they felt it was okay to copy/steal as well.

BTW, I am not a lawyer, nor do I really play one on tv or utube... but this is my understanding.

[Drazan]

Once you create something it is yours until 78 years past your death (with exceptions).

Using the copyright word with the symbol is recongnized internationally in most countries. Some contries require one or the other, including the year of inception and actual business or individual name - specifically to be recognized.

What registering with the copyright office does, is allow you a foundation to base any court procedures either against someone else or defending yourself.

Copyrights protect the physical representation of an idea in the form of words or images.

Trademarks represent single image or phrase specific to a company. These could be a Logo, or Catch phrase.

A Patent is registering the Idea of an invention. These covers everything from the design of your computer components to shampoo, to even the adobe programs.

The poorman's option to copyright is not a valid option anymore as far as court procedings go. For the US copyright office it's something like $30 to register. You can register one item or a collection of simular items for one fee.

As far as it applying to the website. It represents the code, layout and scripting behind the webpage. It also includes any text, imagery, etc found on the site.

Cease & Desist letters that are from the corporation or Lawyers are ment to scare people into stop using or infringing on their property. In some cases it is valid as the end user may have stolen images, text etc, however, there are times when people use these to intimidate their competition.

Unless it is court orded to cease & desist - those letters have little actual value.

What Carter said about protecting copyrights is somewhat true and somewhat false. If you intentionally give out your copyrighted creation then after a period of time want to go back and collect from people using your copryrighted creation - then you will have a difficult time claiming any compensation for your work.

If you have a copyright on your work and many people steal it - you do have the right to go after them no matter how long it's been. And it doesn't matter if one person steals it - the next person who does isn't any more legal.

It's like going into a shopping mall and seeing a person shoplift a shirt. You go and shoplift the same shirt and point out the so-and-so before who got away. Are you "legal" by stealing that shirt? Nope. Same with copyright.

Copyright information on what is legal and what isn't is really subjective between two parties. And no advise on a forum should be taken as fact or without additional research of your own.

[carter the artist]

Once you create something it is yours until 78 years past your death (with exceptions).

Using the copyright word with the symbol is recongnized internationally in most countries. Some contries require one or the other, including the year of inception and actual business or individual name - specifically to be recognized.

What registering with the copyright office does, is allow you a foundation to base any court procedures either against someone else or defending yourself.

Copyrights protect the physical representation of an idea in the form of words or images.

Trademarks represent single image or phrase specific to a company. These could be a Logo, or Catch phrase.

A Patent is registering the Idea of an invention. These covers everything from the design of your computer components to shampoo, to even the adobe programs.

The poorman's option to copyright is not a valid option anymore as far as court procedings go. For the US copyright office it's something like $30 to register. You can register one item or a collection of simular items for one fee.

As far as it applying to the website. It represents the code, layout and scripting behind the webpage. It also includes any text, imagery, etc found on the site.

Cease & Desist letters that are from the corporation or Lawyers are ment to scare people into stop using or infringing on their property. In some cases it is valid as the end user may have stolen images, text etc, however, there are times when people use these to intimidate their competition.

Unless it is court orded to cease & desist - those letters have little actual value.

What Carter said about protecting copyrights is somewhat true and somewhat false. If you intentionally give out your copyrighted creation then after a period of time want to go back and collect from people using your copryrighted creation - then you will have a difficult time claiming any compensation for your work.

If you have a copyright on your work and many people steal it - you do have the right to go after them no matter how long it's been. And it doesn't matter if one person steals it - the next person who does isn't any more legal.

It's like going into a shopping mall and seeing a person shoplift a shirt. You go and shoplift the same shirt and point out the so-and-so before who got away. Are you "legal" by stealing that shirt? Nope. Same with copyright.

Copyright information on what is legal and what isn't is really subjective between two parties. And no advise on a forum should be taken as fact or without additional research of your own.

It used to be 70. and if Disney gets their way it may be a thing of the past. They need to change this law or else they fear they will lose their icons. Which is gonna be great, when i start selling legal mickey mouse shirts! :)

[Virgo Nightingale]

I have read that you could print whatever you design/created out. Then put it in an envolop and mail it to yourself. Make sure that it has a date stamp from the post office. DO NOT open it ever unless it's to prove some copyright issue in court or where ever. I heard this refered to as the poor mans copyright. Don't really know if it would ever hold water. Anyway my 2 cents. :)
This used to be a "valid" way of copyrighting something. My boyfriend has done this in the past to copyright his music. From what I understand, this method was rendered untrustworthy when someone at the post office was convicted of mail fraud – he was illegally postmarking packages that were to be 'copyrighted' with a long-past date, making it theoretically possible for whoever he was helping to sue someone for copyright infringement by creating a similar work after coming across the true original.

[Drazan]

I believe that part of the legal changes is that the estate can reregister the copyright.

Also with recent technology it's fair easy to superimpose a postal date stamp on an envelope. This will soon change as the new postal "invisible" inks will add more info to the stamp. Still this is not a valid court supported evidence if required.