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NamesDontMatter · Joined: 14 Jun 2005 Posts: 2 Location: CT

Hi, I’m new to the forums and have a few questions about copyright procedures.

I am currently working on a project to recreate a paintball marker frame. It would run the same internals as the stock marker with modifications. I’m planning to do it to a Tippmann 98custom. I am planning to finish the frame late this summer and will have a prototype milled by "e-machine shop" (any other recommended companies that could mill accurate simple parts for low cost would be greatly appreciated). Before I send out for the creation of the proto I would like to copyright my work. Both versions of the frame I will be making will be dxf/dwg files and one of the versions will be created as a prototype. The two versions will differ anesthetically. Ideally I would like to take pictures of prototype with digital camera and send those with the two versions of the drawings to a few companies who would be interested in purchasing and manufacturing the design. I am a student in high school and I am looking for the best cost effective way to protect my design and give it a chance to become a successful product. I have been working with CADKEY/ AUTOCAD for 3 years now. Also I work with CADKEY19 and AUTOCAD06. Any information you guys can give on copyright procedures would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time,

Josh

Paul Turvill · Guest

If you don't reside in the US, you should ignore the following; however:

Basically, at least in the US, any piece of "intellectual property" that you
create is implicitly protected by copyright, whether or not you declare it
as such. You can explicitly apply a copyright to a document by simply
including the legend "Copyright (c) [year] [Name or Organization]" somewhere
in the document. In fact, the (c) by itself is enough; the word "Copyright"
isn't even necessary.

If you want to *register* your copyright, that's another matter. You should
be able to find anything you need to know by starting here:
http://www.copyright.gov/register/
___

"NamesDontMatter" <NamesDontMatter2@gmail-dot-com.no-spam.invalid> wrote in
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Ron · Guest

In alt.cad.autocad , Paul Turvill wrote :

clintonG · Guest

I've learned a lot about US copyright law and I learned it the hard way. I
also know Paul Turvill's so-called advice is 100% wrong being nothing more
than misconceptions and statements completely contrary to the facts.

First of all, the frame must be protected by patent. Secondly, the drawings
are protected by copyright.
Turvill's comments about not having to register are fallacious and
misleading. His last statement about explicitly applying copyright is
completely false. The only way to explicitly copyright a work is by
registering the work and the appearance of the mark only being a requirement
of registration; not the copyright itself.

I don't have the time to explain every detail and I am not allowed by law to
give legal advice so I'll be brief and put it this way...

Go to the URL Turvill provided as that was the only thing he had to
contribute that has any merit.

I had to talk to more than a half dozen lawyers before I was fully informed
as most do not know sh!t from shinola and are pimps who will say anything to
get people to hire them to learn the ropes at their client's expense. I
finally got lucky calling lawyers in San Jose as they work with software
developers seeking copyright and the assumption that the number of informed
lawyers in that area was going to be many more than in the locale where I am
located proved to be right.

Without registration the federal courts will refuse you the opportunity to
even enter the courts to protect your work. Secondly, if you have registered
you can enter the courts but there is another doctrine called 'date first
reduced to practice' which means if you do not register the copyright within
90 days after it was first 'published' or made known to 'the public' even if
you enter the courts and can prove the copyright has been infringed you can
not and will not be awarded penalties or lawyer's fees.

There are many little 'gotchas' you'll have to learn. Make the calls (I
suggest calling into San Jose as it is a center for experts in intellectual
property) and talk to at least 3-5 different lawyers who will share their
knowledge and perhaps give advice.

If you do not do that leg work you can screw yourself and never know it
until is is too late like it was for me.
Now go have at it...

<%= Clinton Gallagher
METROmilwaukee (sm) "A Regional Information Service"
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://metromilwaukee.com/
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/

"Ron" <spam@SPAM.bc.ca> wrote in message
news:Xns96758F58FB94anybodyyoulike@199.175.106.247...

Paul Turvill · Guest

Recommended reading from someone *else* who "knows":
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
___

"clintonG" <csgallagher@REMOVETHISTEXTmetromilwaukee.com> wrote in message
news:Gx_re.11425$li.9242@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com...
> I've learned a lot about US copyright law and I learned it the hard way.

NamesDontMatter · Joined: 14 Jun 2005 Posts: 2 Location: CT

So basically Im protected with a poor mans copyright, Then once I finish the project before I have it machined. It would be best to register the file with the government http://www.copyright.gov/register/visual.html using that process. What do you guys think? Do any of you have experience with having your cad designs machined and sold as products?

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