"I thought artists WANTED their stuff to be viewed."
They do. That's why they post it to archives and to their own websites. That's not a license for it to be freely reposted or reprinted elsewhere.
"i don't understand all this "view but don't download or share" crap... it makes no sense! do they want to NOT be popular?"
Popularity is entirely a different matter from having their work viewed.
Think of it along the lines of them building a prototype for a new car and wanting to display it in a car show: they want you to see it, but they don't want you to suddenly drive away with it to another car show in another town so that you can display it there without you first telling them what you're doing -- or checking to see if they WANT to display in that town and not through some other venue.
"as well, unless they have their furry characters registered at the copyright and trademark offices for legal protection, i doubt they can claim "copyright infringement" and use the DMCA Takedown clause for stuff that's not copyrighted."
All artistic works, whether a painting, a cartoon, a song, a poem, a fursuit design, a dance step or a novel are all automatically copyrighted upon completion. You raise a good point concerning lawsuits, however; here's a snippet from the official U S Copyright website:
When is my work protected?
Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.
Do I have to register with your office to be protected?
No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work.
Why should I register my work if copyright protection is automatic?
Registration is recommended for a number of reasons. Many choose to register their works because they wish to have the facts of their copyright on the public record and have a certificate of registration. Registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees in successful litigation. Finally, if registration occurs within 5 years of publication, it is considered prima facie evidence in a court of law.
Basically, it means that, although you can bring a lawsuit against any infringer at any time, having those copyrights registered is going to simplify matters greatly.
"I thought artists WANTED their stuff to be viewed."
They do. That's why they post it to archives and to their own websites. That's not a license for it to be freely reposted or reprinted elsewhere.
"i don't understand all this "view but don't download or share" crap... it makes no sense! do they want to NOT be popular?"
Popularity is entirely a different matter from having their work viewed.
Think of it along the lines of them building a prototype for a new car and wanting to display it in a car show: they want you to see it, but they don't want you to suddenly drive away with it to another car show in another town so that you can display it there without you first telling them what you're doing -- or checking to see if they WANT to display in that town and not through some other venue.
"as well, unless they have their furry characters registered at the copyright and trademark offices for legal protection, i doubt they can claim "copyright infringement" and use the DMCA Takedown clause for stuff that's not copyrighted."
All artistic works, whether a painting, a cartoon, a song, a poem, a fursuit design, a dance step or a novel are all automatically copyrighted upon completion. You raise a good point concerning lawsuits, however; here's a snippet from the official U S Copyright website:
When is my work protected?
Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.
Do I have to register with your office to be protected?
No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work.
Why should I register my work if copyright protection is automatic?
Registration is recommended for a number of reasons. Many choose to register their works because they wish to have the facts of their copyright on the public record and have a certificate of registration. Registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees in successful litigation. Finally, if registration occurs within 5 years of publication, it is considered prima facie evidence in a court of law.
Basically, it means that, although you can bring a lawsuit against any infringer at any time, having those copyrights registered is going to simplify matters greatly.