• Automatic when work is "fixed" (i.e., written down or recorded) in a "tangible medium" (e.g., on paper, tape, DVD, computer hard drive)

• RAM has been held to be a "tangible medium"

• Mai Systems Corp. v. Peak Computer, Inc., 991 F.2d 511 (9th cir. 1993).

• Since 1989 there is no requirement to use the copyright symbol © (but good idea anyway)

• Registration with U.S. Copyright Office is only required in order to file a lawsuit or collect damages

MAI Systems Corp. v. Peak Computer, Inc., ruling that Peak, a computer service and maintenance company, committed copyright infringement by loading MAI operating system and diagnostic software into the computer of MAI's licensee, when such loading was done incidental to booting the machine for service and maintenance purposes. MAI was also in the business of providing service and maintenance for MAI systems.