Internet copyright, trademark, & registration!

[tprime]

BlueMonkMn, I heard that if you have stuff on the internet that belongs to you is copyrighted. Is it true for you and your program, or did you have to go through the whole legal process thing?

[Jam0864]

I think it's copyright as long as you put the little c with a circle around it, then Copyright yearhere namehere

[durnurd]

The C with a circle around it is only one method.  It's not necessary.  Once you put something online, it is in the public domain.  It is free for use unless you specify otherwise with any method, such as releasing it under the GPL (which is how SGDK was released), or simply by stating "All Rights Reserved.  Provided AS IS with no guarantees made.  No liability is held by the provider" etc.  Whatever you really want to say about it.

[bluemonkmn]

Well, if you can trust Wikipedia, copyright is automatic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Literary_and_Artistic_Works)

Copyright under the Berne Convention must be automatic; it is prohibited to require formal registration (note however that when the United States joined the Convention in 1988, they continued to make statutory damages and attorney's fees only available for registered works).