Why You Should Copyright Your Software
Copyright law is the most important legal protection available to software publishers. Here's why.
One of the best ways for software authors to protect their work is to register it with the U.S. Copyright Office. Registration is easy and cheap. For the significant benefits copyright provides, it's one of the great insurance deals of all time.
You don't have to register your work to get copyright protection -- the instant your software becomes fixed in a tangible medium, you own the copyright. That means that no one may copy, distribute, display, or make adaptations of the work without your permission. However, actual copyright registration provides you with significant advantages.
For a comprehensive discussion of copyright law, see Nolo's Copyright Resource Center.
Registration Allows You to Sue Infringers
If you want to stop someone from using or otherwise infringing on your work, you must sue the infringer in federal court. However, in order to do so, you must first have registered the copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office. If you have to register in a hurry (so you can file your lawsuit), you have to pay several hundred dollars extra for "expedited registration." But, if you've already registered your copyright, you are set to go.
Registration Gets You Statutory Damages
There is another more compelling reason to register as soon as possible after you publish the software. All copyright owners may ask for actual damages in a copyright infringement lawsuit. However, if you registered the work before the infringement began or within three months of the date the work was published, you may also be entitled to recover:
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