Forum Moderators: not2easy
Copyright (site name) 2000 - 2003
But I'm wondering if that is correct or best because I add new pages constantly. So obviously some of those pages were not online in 2000.
Should I actually be changing the copyright notices to reflect the first time a specific page appears?
There is content on each page that is the same and has been used since 2000. Stuff like the nav bar, privacy notice, a brief "about us" thing etc.
New pages get specific info about the page subject.
As I'm about to do the copyright notice update for 2004 I'm wondering about this.
I guess it basically boils down to is the copyright notice reflective of the site as a whole, or the pages individually?
What do you folks do on your sites?
Copyright (site name) 2000 - 2003
Actually, your notice is not quite in the "proper" order, which should be:
1) Copyright (OR Copyr OR (c) OR --my preference-- © )
2) [date]
3) [name of copyright holder]
More important than that, be careful about the last item. Is "site name" truly the name of the copyright holder? In a great many cases that will not be correct. Is the site name ("[whatever].COM") actually a legally registered entity (with the government; InterNIC doesn't count!)? Or is the copyright owner actually an individual or company?
As for your main question:
is the copyright notice reflective of the site as a whole, or the pages individually?
I don't believe there is one simple answer to fit all cases. It is in part a matter of taste, and what is most helpful for your users.
It is appropriate for a copyright notice on the main page or some other introductory page to include the range of dates covering all materials. Also, you could include a standard footer on all pages whose basic message is "All materials on this site [unless otherwise noted] © 2000 - 2003..."
But you may also wish on particular pages to use a more specific coyright notice with a more specific date. This could be more useful for someone making a citation from that particular page.
Note that the work IS copyrighted even if it appears without a notice (though including one IS a good idea!) It's difficult to see then, how a generic site notice on a page, rather than one specific to that page, would undermine your copyright protection.
