[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

Mr. Hicklin is attempting to soften or mitigate his previous firm statement that there is no difference - NONE - between what I called a copyright and what I called a legal registered copyright. When I quoted the link where it said that one can gain additional damages from statuatory law, that one can gain repayment attorneys fees, and one can use the filing as evidence - and I take that to mean they save tons of work producing other proof in court - those are definite differences that go beyond the limited word PROCEDURAL. The link that you provided clearly spells out some additional benefits one can gain from taking the steps and spending the money to get a registered copyright. And I believe we have disposed of the copyright question and it has no impact on my main point either way.

For the last time, Sauron– the creator of a work owns the copyright by default. This right exists as soon as the work is created. Registering copyright only helps facilitate things.

That is what that link is saying. You have had this explained to you over and over again. Why can't you just admit you were wrong? People can be wrong sometimes– it's no disgrace.

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

I never ever ever claimed that the Tolkien Estate or CT did not have the right to have the SIL published as a book. Never.

Actually, I believe you are claiming that, if you think the film rights holders can sue Tolkien Estate for damages caused by publishing The Silmarillion. Isn't that the cornerstone of your argument?

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

Do you know of any other situation in publishing or in film rights where someone made a legal purchase of film rights and then, years later, some of those same contents were repackaged and sold in a longer format thus weakening the usability and exercise of rights of the original sale?

Because I know of not one situation like that. I spent several hours researching this to find out if there was precedent for it and cannot find one case where anyone did that.

I think you just shot yourself in the foot. What you have proved, if anything, is that no film company has ever tried to sue an author for publishing a sequel (or prequel) to his own novel. I don't know if this is so– but if it is– well, why do you think?