Sieg, thanks! This would never have happened without your help. I've just replaced all the cheesy sample loops with the much better stuff I found on the MMF2 disks while I was looking for the logo. It is really falling into place!
Kathleen
Sieg, thanks! This would never have happened without your help. I've just replaced all the cheesy sample loops with the much better stuff I found on the MMF2 disks while I was looking for the logo. It is really falling into place!
Kathleen
I have a music note-learning game that I'm going to distribute to my piano students in the next couple of weeks. I'm also planning to apply for a copyright in a week or two.
Does anyone know what I should put on the label, if anything, about the fact that I'm getting it copyrighted? Is there a "copyright pending" like there is for patents?
Kathleen
You can just claim copyright at time of creation.
Anything a person creates is granted a basic copyright without anything further being required.
Spending money and filling out forms to register your copyright may help you collect additional damages if someone infringes on your copyright. (But its still all in your court to bring the suit - and hire your lawyers and such)
I am not a copyright lawyer but thats my 2 cents.
I think I have pretty much the view of Jeff here. I'm 100% sure that as soon as you create something, it automatically becomes copyrighted to you.
However, if you're unable to prove that you created it in the first place when somebody else attempts to steal your work, you're still pretty much doomed.
Registering your copyright do have the advantage that it's easier to prove that you are the original author, as it's hard evidence that you had the work before somebody else. When it comes to music, and computer software, I guess it should be possible to prove that it's your work if you are the only one who have access to the source. Still, registering your copyright is most likely the safest way to go, if there is a risk that someone might attempt to claim your work as his/her.
I've also heard that registering your copyright is generally necessary before you can bring a lawsuit to enforce your copyright, I'm not 100% sure about how that works...
It was established in the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works that copyright is automatic, and pretty much all countries now go by this system. Prior to signing up in 1989 the US stipulated that you had to have a copyright notice, but this is no longer required (but still recommended as it makes it harder for people to claim "innocent infringement"). Of course there is a difference between having copyright and being able to prove it.
.:::.Joshtek.:::.
I just got through making a corporation remove my software from their computers. They would not remove the software after I stopped working for them. The program was complteted on my own time and was for me to be able to dispatch faster and better.
I wrote to them to no avail, but my attorney wrote the same letter and the corporation backed down and removed it. I was in the process of copyrighting the software during all this. So no, you do not have to have it officially copyrighted to win a case, but it helps.
Marvin
458 TGF to CTF 2.5+ Examples and games
http://www.castles-of-britain.com/mmf2examples.htm
Thank you all so much! I did find something that indicated that, in addition to all you guys said, having a copyright enables you to claim attorney's fees in the event you have to sue, whereas without the copyright you would not be entitled to that.
Here's another question: is there any way to save the MMF2 images to my computer so that I can use them to create a CD label and CD box insert for the game?
Kathleen
Hey Sieg,
I've put the wav files in so that when the notes explode, they sound their pitches, but only the first (lowest) seven notes seem to be doing it.
I've emailed you the game. What am I doing wrong now?
Kathleen
I'm having trouble emailing the file to you. I'll keep trying.
Kathleen
Hey Sieg,
I can't seem to get gmail to send you my mfa file. I tried sending you a file that just had the one frame in question in it, but that didn't work either. I can't send the file to myself, either; it says a server error occurred #008. And yet I am able to send other mfa files to myself. It seems to be just this one game file that won't send.
Is there any other way I can get it to you?
Kathleen
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