Date: Mon, 17 Jun 1996 18:09:53 -0400
From: dj (DJ Delorie)
Message-Id: <199606172209.SAA02624@delorie.com>
To: ILGES AT cc DOT uab DOT es
CC: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
In-reply-to: <01I60MPT9TO2000U7B@cc.uab.es> (ILGES@cc.uab.es)
Subject: Re: legal question


I'm not a lawyer, but here is a simple explaination.

>    "(c) -> copyright"  (for example "(c) Microsoft corporation"),

This is used to protect an intellectual work, like a book or a
program.  A work can be copyrighted merely by marking it so.
You should use a complete phrase, like this:

	Copyright (C) 1996 by DJ Delorie

The (C) means nothing legally; only the word "Copyright" or the
c-in-a-circle symbol count.  Note that this only stops others from
benefiting from your work without permission.  Unless you also
register your copyright with the government, you can't sue for
damages.

>    "TM  -> Trade mark" (for example "Windows TM"),

Used to indicate that a particular name (usually a product name) is
yours and shouldn't be used for something else.  For example, "DJGPP"
may be trademarked to keep others from naming their software that.

>    "(R) -> Registered" (for example "Microsoft (R)" or "MS-DOS (R)"),

If you register your trademark with the government, you then have a
registered trademark.

I'm not sure, but I think a (TM) only ensures uniqueness within a
field (like computers) but (R) ensures uniqueness across fields as
well.


Patents are granted to inventors of devices, to prevent others from
creating equivalent devices without permission.

A license is granted by the owner of a copyright, trademark, or
patent; to allow others to use it as well.