" Poor Mans Patent"

[double barrel]

Anyone ever hear of this???

[Redwolf]

Not till now, but I googled it and found this.

http://www.inventionpatent.net/patent/poor-man%27s-patent.html

[looking bear]

I do know musicians who call this "poor man's copyright" and swear by it. If they write a song, words and music, they send theirselves a copy by registered mail and don't open it and they say this potects them if someone else claims or uses their words and music.   Can't swear by this but it does make sense, as copyrighting something is much easier and cheaper than getting a patent.

[Omnivore]

I do know musicians who call this "poor man's copyright" and swear by it. If they write a song, words and music, they send theirselves a copy by registered mail and don't open it and they say this potects them if someone else claims or uses their words and music.   Can't swear by this but it does make sense, as copyrighting something is much easier and cheaper than getting a patent.

My friend does this too for her artwork, before she posts it up anywhere she makes a copy and mails it to herself. The PO puts the date on it, and if it's unopened it's the earliest recording of it.

She's never used it in court, but it does work for run of the mill art thieves so far.

[Nambroth]

Patent and copyright are two very different things, so make sure you know which you are looking at first.

Either way though... Unfortunately, if it ever ended up in court you wouldn't have a leg to stand on; the 'poor man's copyright' or 'poor man's patent' does not hold up in court and is not legal proof of copyright (or patent). At least with copyright you own the copyright from the moment you create something unique, registering with the federal office is a formality in case you end up in court (in a court case without a federally registered copyright you can only collect damages). But with a patent you must register with the federal office in order to claim the patent.

[Redwolf]

In other words you get what you pay for?

[Nambroth]

In other words you get what you pay for?

Haha pretty much!!

If you are really serious about the idea of protecting your work in case it ever gets theived, your best bet is to do a yearly 'collection' of your works and submit them all at once. It only costs $30 this way.