visual basic, Copyright question

oost..
#1 / 6

Copyright question

I'm working on a game and I'd like to know how to make sure that nobody steals
it from me without spending too much money.

Sat, 15 Aug 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Bob Howa
#2 / 6

Copyright question

Quote:

>I'm working on a game and I'd like to know how to make sure that nobody steals
>it from me without spending too much money.

Anygame can be copyrighted just by adding something like this on the title
screen, and manual (If any)

EXAMPLE:

Copyright 1996 Joe Blow Software
OR
Copyright (c) Your Name 1996
OR
(c)1996 Joe Blow Software

However if you want to get serious, register the copyright with the
government,
request copyright forms for computer programs from:
Publications Section
Copyright Office
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20559

That however will set you back somewhere between 20 or 30 dollars.

====================================================================
Bob Howard, President, IRC Star Wars fan club sub group, Smugglers

"If fools are my theme, let satire be my song" - Byron
====================================================================

Sat, 15 Aug 1998 03:00:00 GMT

David G. McDivi
#3 / 6

Copyright question

I wrote some shareware programs once. When they started, a person had
to press random keys to correspond with up to five letters appearing
on the screen. This unlocked data structures all through the program,
so it didn't help to debug and bypass the keystrokes. There was a
registration message with my address. If they sent me $5 or $10, I
would send back an encrypted key. They could then invoke the program
with the key on the command line. I used an assembler module to return
a BASIC ascii string which represented the key. The module had a
string of bytes which could not be compressed with LZEXE, as a header,
and another as trailer. This allowed me to find the module in the EXE
file. The user registration was then updated in the EXE file. Each
user was given a unique key. By paying the fee, they were able to
bypass the keystroke nuisance at program startup. There was also a
command line option to unregister, in case the user ever wanted to
give it to someone else.

Sat, 15 Aug 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Marc van den Dikkenbe
#4 / 6

Copyright question

Quote:

>>I'm working on a game and I'd like to know how to make sure that nobody steals
>>it from me without spending too much money.
>Anygame can be copyrighted just by adding something like this on the title
>screen, and manual (If any)
>However if you want to get serious, register the copyright with the
>government,
>request copyright forms for computer programs from:
>Publications Section
>Copyright Office
>Library of Congress
>Washington, DC 20559
>That however will set you back somewhere between 20 or 30 dollars.

Minor detail: PI.NET refers to Planet Internet - a _Dutch_ provider.
Aren't there different guidelines in every country?
(Or: should someone from The Netherlands register their program by a
US copyright office?)

Marc van den Dikkenberg
-----

<http://www.xs4all.nl/~excel>

Sat, 15 Aug 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Egbert Zijlem
#5 / 6

Copyright question

Quote:

> Anygame can be copyrighted just by adding something like this on the title
> screen, and manual (If any)

> EXAMPLE:

> Copyright 1996 Joe Blow Software
> OR
> Copyright (c) Your Name 1996
> OR
> (c)1996 Joe Blow Software

> ====================================================================How about this one? It gives you 'eternal' copyright:

IF RIGHT$(DATE$,4) <> "1995" THEN
crYear$ = "1995-" + RIGHT$(DATE$, 4)
ELSE
crYear$ = "1995"
END IF

PRINT "Copyright (c) ";crYear$;": EzySoft"

--
Egbert Zijlema
PO-box 60,
NL-9700 MC GRONINGEN

Voice: +31 50 5844275
Fax: +31 50 5844308

Sun, 16 Aug 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Michael Martin
#6 / 6

Copyright question

Quote:

>How about this one? It gives you 'eternal' copyright:

>IF RIGHT$(DATE$,4) <> "1995" THEN
> crYear$ = "1995-" + RIGHT$(DATE$, 4)
>ELSE
> crYear$ = "1995"
>END IF

>PRINT "Copyright (c) ";crYear$;": EzySoft"

Except this depends on the local PC to have a good clock (and battery), and it
cannot be registered so you can't collect damages under copyright law if
someone violates your rights.

This is not a good way to copyright your code, game or other type.

--
++ ++ "Well Samwise: What do you think of the elves now?"

++ ++------------------------------------------------------

Mon, 17 Aug 1998 03:00:00 GMT