> I'd like to cash in on this opportunity to ask what is the legal status 
> of the "Copyright". I often see artists who append a copyright to their 
> images (which of course is justified), but does it has a real 
> signification ? Don't we need to register on an official organism which 
> would vouch for the autenticity of the work ? Is it enough to write 
> "copyright" and your name to make it your intellectual property ?

According to international conventions (which have to be transfered into
national law by the signatory states) you own the copyright of anything
you create and publish, without any further measures. 

However, a copyright notice makes it clear that you have not waived
those rights. It usually also contains the date of creation, which can
be important. They give anybody who wants to use that work at least some
chance to contact you about agreements on the conditions.

If you do not include a copyright statement your ability to litigate for
compensation in case of infringement may be limitted (depending on
national law) as the infractor may claim good faith. You would however
still have the right to demand that the infractor stops using your work.

Registration of copyright used to give you additional litigation
possibilities in the US, I am not sure whether or not that is still the
case.

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