"The web is considered 'public domain'"
Some of my written work was once pirated by a coporation.<p>In 1984, when I was 13, I wrote an article on revising the AD&D combat tables, sent it in to Dragon magazine, and it was published the following year.  Before it hit print, I was given a contract to read and sign.  The contract specified that I was selling "first serial rights" only, and retained all rights for republishing, putting in anthologies, etc.<p>I signed the contract, and got a $100 check.<p>20 years later, Dragon released a CD-ROM compendium of all content.  My article was included, without my permission.<p>This was not "initial" serial rights - this was a republishing.<p>I sent an email saying "you owe me additional payment".<p>They wrote back saying "no".<p>I filled out a small claims court form in MA, submitted it along with a $40 processing fee, and waited.<p>A few weeks later I was given a court date.<p>I showed up.  The Hasbro magazine rep (Dragon was published by TSR, which had been acquired by Wizards of the Coast, which had been acquired by Hasbro) did not show.<p>I won the case by default.<p>The court mailed the judgement to Hasbro.<p>A month later Hasbro mailed me a check for $2,000, in accordance with the judgement.