Website Copyright Protection - Poor Man's Version
Before closing on the deal for my first (and only) licensed copy of my site, I wanted to ensure that I had copyright ownership of site. I didn't want versions of my site to start popping up all over the net, and not have any legal grounds to stand on in regards to proof of ownership.
I spoke with a lawyer (my brother-in-law) who gave me a clever idea. He suggested I bundle up copies of my software onto a CD, along with any screenshots and documentation. Then send the CD to myself via the US Post Office in a certified envelope. Apparently an unopened letter sent through the government post office that is stamped (time-date stamp) can stand up in a court of law in regards to who had ownership of a certain idea or name or whatever. By mailing it to myself and not opening it, I have proof my ownership of the site as of the US Post Office time-date stamp on the envelope. If anyone were to claim ownership of my code or site or domain trademark, I could provide the envelope as evidence in a court of law that I had ownership of the site and the name as of that point in time.
I thought it was a simple and affordable way to add a layer of protection/proof, and so I did it. To this day I still have that unopened envelope in my safe deposit box. Fortunately I have not had to use it, but I feel better knowing it is there.
Next up... For Sale By Owner...
3 comments:
I liked you brother-in-law's trick to prove ownership. Awesome! I'll have to use it.
Cool... Yeah it is cheap and effective! I thought he was a genius... I'm sure there are more "fool-proof" techniques... but this one can't hurt to add a little protection...
The problem with this method, is first of all, there is no way to prove that you didn't send yourself an empty envelope and then add the contents at a later time.
This article is pretty good, and #1 for poor mans copyright in google. Nothing to do with me:
www.copyrightauthority.com/poor-mans-copyright/
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