Is Microsoft Word Art Copywritten

[SAR.Summerlin]

So I remember reading somewhere that this is true but here is the situation.

A Customer brought me a PowerPoint file (ugh) and he wants to use the "logos" (5 of them) he created on a roll up banner. He swears they are copy written so I can not change them in any way. I am trying to explain that just putting a registration mark or a TM next to something doesn't copywrite it. That aside I would have to recreate them to blow them up and have them look good.

I want to tell the client that he can't use his "logos" because they are already protected by Microsoft Copywrite. Does anyone know of a good place to find out for sure so I can show my customer and future customers also why they can't use Word Art. I also need this to prove why to my boss.

I have attached a jpg of the file he gave me so you can see what I am talking about.

Edit: I have already done a Google search.

 

[Joe Diaz]

Not sure, but I think copyright would be the least of your customer's worries. Those "logos" are horrible. I'd spend less time trying to figure out if he can copyright those train wrecks and more time trying to talk them into professorially designed logos.

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

Not sure, but I think copyright would be the least of your customer's worries. Those "logos" are horrible.

Yes and he refuses to let me change them but that is also the reason for the quotation marks around "logos" in my original post. We need the work so if I am forced to I will do it gagging the whole way.

 

[HDvinyl]

Can't you get in trouble for putting "®" if it isn't really registered with the USPTO?

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

Can't you get in trouble for putting "®" if it isn't really registered with the USPTO?

Good question anyone know the answer?

 

[HDvinyl]

Trademark fraud.

http://www.natlawreview.com/article/registration-symbol-misuse-trademark-fraud

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Looks like an April fool's joke. Good grief how many design rules have been broken on this artwork

 

[The Vector Doctor]

The real question.... what part of this is owned by Microsoft? Other than maybe the golf scene, there is nothing here that belongs to MS

 

[bob]

Regardless of Microsoft's clip-art status, the correct word is 'copyrighted' not 'copywritten'. The latter is not a word at all.

Regardless of the grammatical indecency, anything created post-1989 is copyrighted merely by virtue of the fact that it exists. The ® means 'registered' and its use is supposed to be restricted to those things that actually are registered. Likewise the ™ or the elusive T in a circle mean an actual real live registered trademark.

However, the © merely means copyrighted and can freely be used on anything.

I shouldn't think that the sky would be dark with helicopters and black-suited ninjas rappelling down ropes to enforce this sort of thing. If you think about it, just with whom would you be in trouble for unofficial use of any of these symbols? Why would anyone but a natural-born troublemaker denounce you to the authorities for such a heinous act?

 

[Cyw]

Can't decide which is my favorite part

The LGE or the Hot Dog Shoppe?
omg
..........I think I'm throwing up in my mouth

 

[Techman]

ugliest POS ive seen in years. GAG

red on black phone number? geeses

 

[OldPaint]

its plain garbage...........NOTHING IN THERE BELONGS TO MICROSOFT!!!!!! and if your using clipart from MS WORD, it is public domain. just like all the clipart from corel is.

 

[Jillbeans]

I would spend a half-hour rebuilding that pile of crap into something that looks nice, and is effective and doesn't have any supposed "issues".
Of course, the guy is still going to want his "masterpiece".
I would then say, because he created it, I cannot replicate it for fear of punishment.
Not by Microsoft...by my own conscience.
Love....Jill

 

[Billct2]

You need the work?- hit the print button and move on.

 

[omgsideburns]

Poor taste aside, "Word Art" is just the feature in Word, they are pre-made. This question is like asking "is this owned by adobe since it was made in photoshop?"

 

[Red Ball]

That is really something!

 

[WI]

Here's a basic rundown of copyright as it pertains to use of clip-art.

TL;DR: The legality of adding a few lines of text under a canned photo you grabbed off of a server in Redmond and then claiming copyright on it is highly dubious. Of course on the other hand, will anyone take you to court over MS clip art? Nah. The bottom line is that you don't seem to have any exposure for doing the printing, and any issues that this guy might realistically have with this banner are entirely aesthetic.

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

I agree the design is awful but I went down this road with him before and he made me recreate the "logo" portion exactly that one wasn't so bad. This one I think because it is so awful has me stuck on how to make it look good. Usually I can turn a bad design around pretty quick. I think it is so bad that it has stunned my design senses.

Regardless of Microsoft's clip-art status, the correct word is 'copyrighted' not 'copywritten'. The latter is not a word at all.

I apologize I usually pride myself on speaking correctly and I didn't know I had this wrong.

This guy also made us redo a roll up banner a few months ago because we hadn't spelled dietitian the way he wanted "dietician" he missed it in proof and made us redo it free of charge even though we showed him that our spelling was correct.

The point of this post I guess was to try and find a legal way to force him to let me redesign. No go I guess I will continue attempting to convince him. Also I can't just hit print the proportions are all kinds of wrong and the resolution is non existent being a PowerPoint design.

Anyone have any good ideas on how I can rescue this design?

 

[J Hill Designs]

"we cant import microsoft word art, and I will have to recreate from scratch at $100 per hour." the job will be rescued by the guy running out your door.

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

"we cant import microsoft word art, and I will have to recreate from scratch at $100 per hour." the job will be rescued by the guy running out your door.

I agree getting the boss to understand that design time is money is another issue. This is one of those towns where everyone is doing it for free and we can't compete when we charge for design though I am constantly arguing for it. Being a new business (less than a year old) he just wants to get people to buy the product. We did go ahead and quote this guy a low-ball design quote yesterday but we haven't heard anything back yet.

 

[J Hill Designs]

well, if he doesnt come back for the lowball design quote, chalk it up as a win even though your boss wont =)

 

[HDvinyl]

I always zoom in to show donkey customers what their "artwork" will look like when enlarged to the size needed.