Re: Advise on setting up a weblog...a blogger

**Pat Meadows p*@meadows.pair.com**

On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 12:53:08 EST, you wrote:

>I would like a method of publishing my weekly column where anyone could read 
>it free of charge and without having to buy a newspaper.  Essentially I'd be 
>publishing my current column so anyone could read it.  At least that's my goal. 
> I don't plan on any pictures or graphics at the start, just my weekly 1200 
>words or so.  Can anyone offer advise on how to set this up?  Does anyone know 
>if the contents can be copyrighted?  Is anyone doing something like this now?  
>I'd like to be up and running by mid-February.  Please share you information 
>here or to me directly off list.
>

---------------
Disclaimer:  I am neither a lawyer nor a copyright expert.
However, I will give you sources for the statement I make,
and you can read them for yourself.  One source is the
website of a copyright attorney.  The other is the website
of the US government's Copyright Office.  Both are clearly
written and easily understood.
------------------

Assuming that YOU retain the copyright and not your employer
(the Southhampton Press):

The contents of a webpage are copyright when you 'affix them
in a format'.   In other words, they are inherently
copyright.  Further, you can of course put a copyright
notice on the page (I do, on my pages).  This doesn't mean
that you can stop anyone from stealing your work, of course.
(You can register them with the Copyright Office as well,
but I don't think anyone actually does this and it is NOT
necessary.)

They are copyright to YOU assuming you are using your *own*
website:  I don't know about using someone else's website,
as in a blogging service.  Maybe they keep the copyright of
what's published on their pages.  

I'd recommend that you have your own website, as many
writers do.  It's not difficult to create simple webpages,
and you wouldn't need your webpage to sing and dance. (Or
you could pay someone else to do this - it shouldn't cost a
lot assuming you're happy with something simple:  many
people prefer simple, but informative, web pages in any
case.  I certainly do:  I don't want singing this's and
dancing that's and music backgrounds, etc.  It's also easy
to include photographs.)

OK:  sources for my statement that the pages are inherently
copyright when 'fixed in a format' (and the format can be a
computer file):

1.  The US Copyright Office Website:

http://www.loc.gov/copyright and specifically, see:

------
Can I copyright my website?
The original authorship appearing on a website may be
protected by copyright. This includes writings, artwork,
photographs, and other forms of authorship protected by
copyright.
--------

The above quote is from the FAQ and is found here:
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-digital.html#website

The basics of copyright law are clearly explained on this
website as well.  

2.  The copyright attorney's site:

http://www.benedict.com and specifically see the 'Digital'
section, here:  http://www.benedict.com/digital/digital.aspx

HTH,
Pat

-- 
ContainerSeeds.com - vegetable, herb, fruit and edible
flower seeds for successful container growing.
http://www.containerseeds.com 

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