Is it ok or possible to have and use a license agreement without copyrighting the content?

Question

I would just like to know and possibly obtain a few more details. Also is there a place to obtain any of this information?

Answer 1

In terms of USA contracts, anything that doesn't break a law is possible. Including what you describe. But failing to properly copyright something is plain stupid. All you need is one accident and the person who finds a copy of your licensed content can LEGALLY use it. In fact, can copyright it out from your grip.

By the way, you don't have to actually REGISTER the copyright, which costs money. You can put in the copyright mark, date, your name as copyright holder, and then if you never sell it, you don't need to copyright it.

There are such things as (for some types of copyrightable material) mailing yourself a printed copy via registered letter and leaving it sealed. That way, you have the U.S. Post Office as a witness for when that package was sealed.

You should be able to look up the Copyright Act of 1974 (plus a few amendments) as a way to figure out how to copyright printed or printable matter. The catch is making it provable.