          
          
          
                                Copyrights
          
               A copyright protects original works of authorship. In 
          the United States this protection gives the owner 
          theexclusive right to reproduce the work, prepare 
          derivative works, distribute copies, or perform or display 
          the work publicly.
          
               In the United States, "original works of authorship" 
          include literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain 
          other intellectual works. A computer program, for example, 
          is considered a literary work protected by copyright in the 
          United States and in a large and growing number of foreign 
          countries.
          
               In most countries, the place of first publication 
          determines whether copyright protection is available. Some 
          countries require certain formalities in order to maintain 
          copyright protection. Many other countries, particularly 
          member countries of the Berne Union, offer copyright 
          protection without these formalities. Still others offer 
          little or no protection for the works of foreign nationals.  
          Before publishing a work anywhere, it is advisable to 
          investigate the scope of protection available as well as 
          the specific legal requirements for copyright protection in 
          countries in which copyright protection is desired.
          
          
          
