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Kirei -> RE: Myth or Fact, BDSM emblem (6/30/2006 4:23:54 PM)
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If someone tells you that they own the copywrite or trademark (which is where a symbol falls under) ask them for the federal number they have. All patents, copywrites, trademarks and such if you are the owner are given a number. Each of these has the small symbol (c, r, or p) that is seen on many things. TM while meaning trademark does not actually mean a true trademark and established ownership. That is why you see many things with the TM by the logo...which means the symbol is trademarked by them but has not been registered with the federal government(the little r in a circle denotes that) offices and is therefore not exclusively owned by that person/company. The little r, c, or p in the circle does indicate that the symbol, text, work, item, etc. has gone through the proper legal proceedings and is the sole rights of the person/company who owns the number that the copywrite, trademark, and patent office in Washington gave them.
Artists copywrite their stuff by putting their name on works of art, and while this does grant them copywrites to said work, it does not entirely protect them from it being ripped off by others. Now poorman's copywrites and patents are a special case and usually end up in court to determine who the true owner is.
Being an artist, inventor, and engineer I have learned some of this the hard way and some just through the damned red tape it took to get the stupid little number. This number can then be looked at by anyone requesting data on said number. Mostly states usually have 1-2 places where people can go to look up such information. For example in the state I'm in...there is a copywrite, trademark, and patent computer tied into the federal one for looking up such information at one of the local colleges. You must though get permission to use such a machine. I'm not sure if you have to fill out paper work for the your search, and I am not sure if there is a cost for doing so now.
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