Sending files but preventing copyright?

[qwerty30]

An organisation have requested literature which I have created and typed on Microsoft Word and Publisher - they want the pages emailed to them so they can print them off to save me printing costs. Which format can I email them in so they cant be copied or amended in any way?

[factor-fiction]

They can always copy it.
If you put it in Adobe it's more difficult for them to amend it

[joggerjayne]

Your computer records will show the date you created them, which will predate the record of any copy they make.

For added security, you should print off a hard copy, put it in an envelope, wrap one continuous piece of sellotape around it, stick an address label over the sellotape, and post it to yourself, so that the postmark verifies the date on which it was sealed.

Proof of the earliest date of creation is evidence of ownership of copyright.

[qwerty30]

Adobe - thats right I remember now ! Thanks

[bibblebub]

(it's very easy to change the creation date of a document, so that is no proof)

[HowardKennitby]

Can you not print off copies and charge them for the cost?

[joggerjayne]

bibble ... maybe a good idea to do hard copies then ??

[bibblebub]

hard copy with a watermark, maybe... depends on why the organisation wants them and whether they can be trusted

[hc4361]

Hard copies can still be scanned in to a pc.

[joggerjayne]

The point with the hard copies is to create a copy where you can definitely prove when it exosted, by mailing it.

You can't protect against clever fraud ... even the CIA get caught out by tricksters ... but you can prove that you had the original work as at a particular date.