Discussion:
What is the name of your state? NC
When does something become copyright protected? Someone recently told me that anything you write down is automatically copyright protected. Is this accurate?
kevin
Answer:
Whoever told you this should contact me. I'd like what they were smoking.
Using this theory what I'm writing here is copyrightable.....
now, on the other hand, if you place a © mark on a piece of writing that is published, and to publish you only need to put it in the public arena, then yes, it's copyrighted.
Answer:
That's what I was thinking. I told the person that copyright protection isn't automatic, but they believed otherwise.
Thanks,
Kevin
Answer:
Both of you guys are off base.
Answer:
Okay, enlighten us, if you know.
Answer:
Any creative work is copyrighted as soon as it is "fixed in a tangible medium." So yes, simply typing in a message on this message board creates a copyrighted work.
now, on the other hand, if you place a © mark on a piece of writing that is published, and to publish you only need to put it in the public arena, then yes, it's copyrighted This is completely wrong. Publication has nothing to do with whether or not something is copyrighted. Adding the registration mark © is not necessary, and hasn't been since 1978 -- just because something doesn't have a copyright notice, as the little © is called, doesn't mean it isn't copyrighted.
A registered copyright -- which is what that little © is really for -- is a copyright registered with the U.S. Copyright office, and gives the holder certain rights when suing someone for infringement that non-registered copyright holders don't have, but that's about it.
But again, what Kevin was told in the orginal post was accurate -- unless what was written down was plagarized fromanother copyrighted work...
Answer:
Hi, folks, thanks for your reponses. I have been doing a little research, and it seems that, in fact, once you write something down, it becomes copyrighted, sort of. There are certain criteria that has to be met. For example, if I take a blank piece of paper and write my name on it, that wouldn't be copyright protected, if I understood things correctl.
When is something considered "public domain"? For example, would descriptions of drugs, what they are used for, etc be considered public domain?
Answer:
The reason you can't copyright your name written down is because it lacks enough "creativity."
A creative work moves into the public domain in two ways -- either the copyright expires (which may never happen again if they keep increasing the term of copyright protection...) or it is expressly given over to the public domain. Basically, a copyright owner can choose to put something in the public domain if he or she desires, but it has to be an affirmative act -- it doesn't happen through carelessness or inactivity (it used to, but that's ancient history now...).
"Facts" are not copyrightable. Copyright only covers the expression. The description of a drug, what it is used for, etc., are facts. However, this does not mean you can go out and pick up a Merck manual and photocopy it -- that would violate Merck's copyright -- but you could, in principle, take the _information_ from the manual and put it into your own format and create your own copyrightable manual of drugs and their uses. In this case, copyright only covers the expression, that is, the "creative" way the facts are arranged, and not the facts themselves.
This is different from "public domain." Public domain works are creative works that would otherwise be copyrightable but have been given over to the public to use without restriction.
Answer:
One other thing.
in fact, once you write something down, it becomes copyrighted, sort of There is no "sort of." If the work satisfies the criteria for copyright, it is copyrighted as soon as it is "fixed in a tangible format." It doesn't matter if it is a simple drawing or a novel, once it is fixed, it is copyrighted, and has all of the rights associated with any other copyrighted work.