Actually, in any country that's a signatory to the Berne Convention, any original work is automatically covered by copyright regardless of any registration. I'm familiar with the US copyright laws and registration here gives you additional protection in that there are statutory damages you may be entitled to in the event of infringement (quite substantial damages, as a matter of fact) while you're only entitled to recover actual damages if you don't register. The work itself, though is still copyrighted, simply through the act of creation and publication...
- posted
17 years ago