When making my site, I was concerned with copyrighting. Not to sound egotistical or anything, but I'm rather proud of my site design (
http://liquid.jaminnet.com/cgi/Ultimate.cgi). Anyway, I worked for a lawyer over the summer, and figured i'd take advantage of that fact to ask her some questions. I can't spout it off verbatim, but here is the gist of what I learned...
Anything you make on your computer is copyrighted to you the instant it is saved. Copyrights (and trademarks, btw) do not HAVE to be registered. If you register the material, it makes it a lot easier to prove your ownership of it. However, registration carries a fairly hefty fine, so unless youv'e got a nice sized corporation backing you, it's best to go unregistered and take your chances.
The copyright symbol (©) and the trademark symbol (™) may be used freely, without any registrations. However, if you want to use the Registered Trademark symbol (®), it is illegal to use unless the material in question is, in fact, registered with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office. Incedentally, it is also illegal to use "Corporation," "Inc.," "Corp.," and other variances on the word "Incorporated" if you are not actually legally incorporated. Federal crime. Not just state.
There is a site run by the Feds that lets you report copyright and trademark infringement, stuff like that. Seems to me like I found the addy for it somewhere in these very forums, but it has slipped my memory now.
I know this probably doesn't help you much with your problem. But it's some info that some people might be interested in knowing. Just thought I'd share what little knowledge I have.
---Skorpion
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