>Im just curious...Do any of you actually have a legal background, from >which to make all these assumptions?!? Sounds like alot of cyberspace >heresay????? I hear so much poppycock batted around the net, an informed >comment is rare. I have looked into this matter myself and consulted several >lawyers, at my own expense! > >The short of what I have learned amounts to the following: >If you are gonna even hope to have a solid case for copyright violation... >you had better have filed ALL the necessary US paperwork! ------------------------- >From my understanding, this is PARTIALLY correct. You must file a claim with the Copyright office before taking any legal action. HOWEVER, it is both legal and commonplace to file said paperwork AFTER the infringement you wish to take to court has occured. -mathue@ucsd.edu Well, ya see...thats just it! "From my understanding", exactly what is your understanding?!? This is the type of uninformed net gossip Im addressing! I asked about filing said paperwork after the fact. The answer I received..."It is very difficult to win a case if the copyright is filed after the fact." Sure, you can do it and try to follow due process, but I was informed "due process" is MUCH slower if you file after the fact. Guess its back to the lawyers :( On a rather bitchy note...WHY THE HELL DO ANY OF US CARE ABOUT ALL THIS LEGAL CRAP?!? I mean, REALLY, do you think you guys are creating such a money making piece of software?!? I understand we all put THOUSANDS of hours into our hobbies...BUT thats just what it is... A HOBBIE!! I remember the good ole days on the net, when a copyright was a badge of honor, not some legal leverage device. The copyright was respected by anyone who happened to come across your code and a pleasant collaboration usually ensued :) I wish we could go back to those days...but with the DAWN of the information superhighway *yuck* hate that term, it seems good ole commercialism has reared its ugly head in our peaceful town :( Think about it....-Jon
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