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There is no "poor man's" copyright - info

GrafwritahGrafwritah 4,184 Posts
edited February 2006 in Strut Central
I can protect my intellectual property rights by mailing copies of my creative works to myself and saving the unopened, postmarked envelopes.[/b]This pernicious myth is called "poor man's copyright" and it has no benefit to the copyright holder. None whatsoever. It doesn't matter if you keep the envelopes in a safe deposit box, give them to your lawyer, or bury them in a time capsule. A postmarked envelope has no value in protecting your intellectual property. Copyright applies automatically to your work, but if you are concerned about infringement against you, it's worth the small fee to register your work with the Copyright Office. See the Copyright Authority website for more information on poor man's copyright.http://www.funnystrange.com/copyright/myths.htm

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  • canonicalcanonical 2,100 Posts
    I can protect my intellectual property rights by mailing copies of my creative works to myself and saving the unopened, postmarked envelopes.[/b]
    This pernicious myth is called "poor man's copyright" and it has no benefit to the copyright holder. None whatsoever. It doesn't matter if you keep the envelopes in a safe deposit box, give them to your lawyer, or bury them in a time capsule. A postmarked envelope has no value in protecting your intellectual property. Copyright applies automatically to your work, but if you are concerned about infringement against you, it's worth the small fee to register your work with the Copyright Office[/b]. See the Copyright Authority website for more information on poor man's copyright.

    http://www.funnystrange.com/copyright/myths.htm
    Doesn't that shit cost over $300? That is not a "small fee".
  • SupergoodSupergood 1,213 Posts
    The last time I checked, it cost $35 to register a sound recording or "music performance" (the song itself) copyright.

    Well worth it if one is seriously worried about getting ripped off in some shady music biz action...the only downside is that it seems to take the Copyright Office 3 months to send the certificate of copyright back to the registrant after receiving payment and materials.

    SG
  • GrafwritahGrafwritah 4,184 Posts
    The last time I checked, it cost $35 to register a sound recording or "music performance" (the song itself) copyright.

    Well worth it if one is seriously worried about getting ripped off in some shady music biz action...the only downside is that it seems to take the Copyright Office 3 months to send the certificate of copyright back to the registrant after receiving payment and materials.

    SG

    In the meantime though, they have logged your filing date, so at least you have that bit of proof.
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    I was talking to a local intellectual property counseler. Who said that mail does not count, but EMAIL does. Go figure.

    - spidey
  • Tuff_GongTuff_Gong 627 Posts
    If you think the cost of filing for a copyright is expensive just wait until you have to pay a lawyer $100/hour to defend you in court.
  • keithvanhornkeithvanhorn 3,855 Posts
    If you think the cost of filing for a copyright is expensive just wait until you have to pay a lawyer $100/hour to defend you in court.

    If your lawyer is only charging you $100/hour, he better be a relative or owe you a big favor.

  • ReynaldoReynaldo 6,054 Posts
    Good.
  • Tuff_GongTuff_Gong 627 Posts
    If you think the cost of filing for a copyright is expensive just wait until you have to pay a lawyer $100/hour to defend you in court.

    If your lawyer is only charging you $100/hour, he better be a relative or owe you a big favor.

    Well, umm, I've never had to have a lawyer, knock on wood, so I was just guesstimating. That, and my dad's a lawyer so...yeah. My dad's a patent attorney though so he wouldn't be much good in a courtroom since he just does office work, but it's still intellectual property so he'd at least have friends who know people who know people who know people.
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