RE: [ADMIN] Copyright issues

From: Tim Bohnslav (BOHNSLAV_TP@WILCOR.COM)
Date: 10/16/96


        According to the Copyright Act of 1976 (which became effective 
        1/1/78), a copyright may only be obtained upon an original work of 
        authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. The protection 
        extends only to the form in which the idea or concept is expressed 
        and not to the idea itself. An idea cannot be copyrighted. If the 
        same idea is expressed by others using different words, it does not 
        violate the copyright.
        
        Some states may have certain exceptions to this law, but otherwise, 
        in general terms this is the requirement most if not all state laws 
        possess.
        
        It sounds more like you are addressing a trademark rather than a 
        copyright, since a trademark is a word, group of words or symbols 
        or other devices used to idenfity services or goods and to 
        distinguish them from goods or services made or sold by others. 
        This would probably be a better route to take in this instance.
        
        Just curious, not bitching.
        
        Tim

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