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How does copyright differ from a patent or trademark?
Answer:
A patent or trademark is applied for directly to the US Patent and Trademark office. You must submit drawings, descriptions, and other paperwork proving you have an idea or change to an existing idea that would make the product or item uniquely your own. You are then given a patent number that forbids anyone to use your idea without your permission for a specific period of time, depending on the item. There are also fees involved.
A copyright can be issued one of two ways. You can apply for an ISBN number through the Library of Congress or you can simply publish your work. Even putting the copyright symbol on a picture or text is your mark that you are forbidding anyone else to use it without your express permission. But if you are ever pushed into proving you own something in print, you need to be able to date your first copyright of the item. This also is beginning to include internet postings like the one you're reading now.
First answer by Willowm.
Last edit by Willowm.
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