Has Cristian Roberts copywrited his name?

[RobertT]

A "serious" discussion about the application of Copyright laws is not something I would have expected to spring up in the middle of the players section on the TEF!!!

Amazing.

[Piemonte]

I'd just post someone elses stuff to myself and hope they already hadnt.

If I wasnt a total creative vaccum that is.

[pauld]

If a case of 'you nicked my idea' went to court, the package can be opened in front of a judge to prove that what's inside (the authors work), was written at said date.

Aah. I think that was the bit I was missing.

OK, so now we've done copyright, hands up who thinks software patents are too open to abuse to stifle innovation and the ramifications are insufficiently understood by legislators? Hmmm, thought so.

[flammableBen]

If a case of 'you nicked my idea' went to court, the package can be opened in front of a judge to prove that what's inside (the authors work), was written at said date.

Aah. I think that was the bit I was missing.

OK, so now we've done copyright, hands up who thinks software patents are too open to abuse to stifle innovation and the ramifications are insufficiently understood by legislators? Hmmm, thought so.

Of course it can be argued that it gives an incentive for investment into research.

Meh possibly the most boring module I ever did at university. I can't really remember much of it, I think I did an essay whilst drunk.

[sonic youth]

A "serious" discussion about the application of Copyright laws is not something I would have expected to spring up in the middle of the players section on the TEF!!!

Amazing.

i agree.

i don't like it.

[Simon Pieman]

But that wouldn't prove anything other than that they'd sent themselves a letter/package on such and such a date. It would prove nothing about the contents of the package (which is what they're trying to protect). That's why the Bodleian/British Library thing is/was used - as then they can point to the Library Catalog to establish it existed from at least that time (that it was catalogued)

The government recommends you do what Sussex suggested - post it to yourself. You can get a soliciter to keep the document/material for you or put it in a bank deposit box (which is essentially like the library idea) but this probably wouldn't be any benefit when trying to prove original works in court.

Anyhoo, I can't believe the thread went this far:

You can't copywrite a name (does this word even exist?) and you can't copyright a name.

You can trademark a name: refer to the Elvis Presley v Sid Shaw case.