One of the new “offers” Godaddy makes you click through when renewing a domain name is an ez-complete copyright registration. For a mere $16.95 (read the small print to find you still pay the $30 government registration fee) you can register your copyright. Some people will think the $16.95 is instead of the $30 the way it is worded. For some this might still be a good deal because they can do it right now with no delay and it gets done. However, you need to get your complete work into one computer file to use their submission method. That will make getting your website registered less than convenient. For many others however, this will be a waste of an extra $16.95.

We have previously covered copyright on our site. We can save you that $16.95! Feel free to donate $6.95 to us if you wish 🙂

Registering a copyright is simple and need not cost you any extra money:

1. figure out if you need the short or long form – use the short form if —

a. You are the only author and copyright owner of this work, and
b. The work was not made for hire, and
c. The work is completely new (does not contain a substantial amount of material that has been previously published or registered or is in the public domain), and
d. the author wishes to disclose his/her identity and does not wish to remain anonymous.

If any of the above does not apply, you must use standard Form TX.

Next go to this page and download the proper form. Complete it and mail it in. That is all there is to it. That does not seem to me to be $16.95 cents worth of work.

This article was posted on Sunday, February 27th, 2005 at 8:54 pm