How does a Dot Com actually start..

[digitalzero]

First off, sorry if this message isnt posted on the rite category.

1. If someone wanted to start a .com what should they do?
2. What did companies like yahoo.com and hotmail.com actually come about? If they sign up their domain name does the company that provides the domain game give them plenty of space on their systems or will they have to supply their own storage, hence the involvment of your own computer.

3. Is a copyright hard to get? Say they wanna open up their own email service (NO.. i am not even thinking of doing this.. i just need it as an example) what legal procedures should they go through, so that they wont get sued over taking someone else' idea.

Thanks in advance for all the help. I just have to do this as part of my research for school. Thanks everyone!

[bwkaz]

I'm not sure about most of that, but copyright law is set up (and has been since I think the '70s) so that as soon as you write something original down (or record it, or create the image, etc., etc.), you own the copyright. If I hadn't agreed to the AUP on this board that said anything I write is the property of internet.com, this reply would be copyrighted by me. As it is, it is copyrighted by internet.com.

You don't have to apply for a copyright. You don't even have to put a copyright notice on whatever you do, but it does help a little.

Now patents, on the other hand, are different. But you can't get a patent unless you come up with some completely new idea (or a substantial improvement on an existing one). You need an actual object to patent it.

I'd say if you want to open up your own email service (ok, so you don't, but just going with the example), just do it. Though I'm not a lawyer, so maybe you'd want to ask one. But as far as I know, none of the technology in web-based email is patented, and you can't really copyright/patent a design, so I would think you'd be good to go.