Register your copyright or you cannot sue for infringement in the US

[Mark Oliva]

Anyway, this thread is more of an FYI because you can sue for infringement that occurs prior to registering copyright, so no need to rush out and register everything.

Oh ... agreed. The information is very worthwhile.

True, but there are a variety of pro bono "lawyers for the arts" groups. I've filed three suits on behalf of artists. It's never gotten past the filing stage, at which point the company realizes the artist means business about protecting their IP and they settle. The mere act of filing the suit can be a very effective negotiation tool.

That's a very good thing, but there are a whole lot of map makers in this RPG world and very few pro bono lawyer groups. It reminds me of the ending of Bertolt Brecht's* Dreigroschenoper, where the king's riding messenger comes to save Mackie Messer by giving him a reprieve from his imminent hanging.

Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum then remarks, Die reitenden Boten des Königs kommen sehr selten.

Which means in English: The king's riding messengers come very seldom.

*It's a Brecht anniversary year, so I had to slip him in here somewhere.

[aeshnidae]

Thanks for the additional info, Darkmage1337! And...happy anniversary, Bertolt Brecht!

[D. Clanloch]

Since a person can register a collection of works for the same price as a single page or item, it makes it really practical to register in large blocks. I did several books of song lyrics and just put them in blocks of a hundred ... but it could just as easily have been in blocks of a thousand. The process only takes about thirty minutes, and once you have done it once, it is much easier the next time. It's kind of like what I'm going through now with Gimp ...

[Robulous]

Never mind, I saw it for myself. Each work, or collection of works has to be registered. And if there is someone that can't afford to register their copyrights, then they are screwed. I've never understood why we should have to pay money to legally claim our property as ours.

Yes it's something of any irony, given how the current US regime drones on about how China doesn't respect copyright!