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Christopher Masi wrote in message
<389280F9.9614A862@cmasi.chem.tulane.edu>...
> Is it as simple as saying, "I took the picture; therefore, it is
> copyrighted by me," or is it a more invovled legal process like
> patenting?
>
> The thread about plagiarism started me thinking about it.
An arrangement of bricks would in most cases not be copyrightable. A design
patent would be what would protect it. However, if your creation reaches the
point of being a piece of art, then I believe copyright would cover it (does
copyright cover sculpture, or only "print" media?).
Any photographs or instructions you create would definitely be
copyrightable. An L-Draw file would be copyrightable. In the US (and other
countries?) your copyright exists as soon as you set the work into final
form for publishing.
A creation out of LEGO bricks definitely shows weak points in how
intellectual property (IP) is protected. Different types of IP are protected
in different ways (copyright, patent, trademark, and design patent). Many
forms of IP cross the lines between types of protection (and some things,
like computer software, are only protected by [reasonably logical]
extensions of the understanding of how the existing types of IP protection
might apply). Fortunately, the court system has done a pretty good job of
making computer software and electronic publications covered under existing
laws (even to the extent of clearly indicating that electronic publishing
has the same constitutional rights as print publishing [ref. the Steve
Jackson Games problems with the Secret Service:
http://www.sjgames.com/SS/
]).
follow-ups to lugnet.off-topic.debate
Frank
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | How do you copyright your own work?
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| Is it as simple as saying, "I took the picture; therefore, it is copyrighted by me," or is it a more invovled legal process like patenting? The thread about plagiarism started me thinking about it. Chris (25 years ago, 29-Jan-00, to lugnet.general)
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