Hi
How do copyrights and trademarks work with software programs? I have always wondered how to get, how much it costs and how long it takes to get a newly developed program copyrighted. What is required the get a copyright? What programs do commonly have copyrights and/or trademarks? How important is it to have a copyright and how big is the risk of ending up in a court trying to prove you’re the actual developer of a program. If a program released on website isn’t copyrighted and someone downloads and modifies the credit text, can that someone get a copyright? What is the worst scenario that a program developer can experience if not having a copyright or trademark on the program he/she has just released? How often do programs not related to any company have a copyright or trademark?
Sorry for the many questions but I really want to know, I have thought about the subject for a long time.