copyright notice for client work

Question

I'm wondering what's the best way to add copyright/info into source for a client. Normally I do projects for myself and release them as GPL however I'm working with a client and not sure how to give them the source. Would something like this be correct?

/* Package: Project Name
File: filename.php
Author: My name ([email protected])
(c) 2011 Client Name All Rights Reserved

File Description....
*/

The client owns the code once they have paid for it but I still think it's a good idea to add a file description and copyright to each file. Maybe this is a conversation to have with each client but does this seem like a fair (and legal) way to do it?

Answer 1

What you suggest is extremely common.

In fact, when you create a new C/C++/Objective C source file in Apple's Xcode, it automatically puts a header in with the source file, project name, date, copyright info, your name, and a place to fill in the copyright holder's name:

/*
 *  junk.h
 *  trashme project
 *
 *  Created by Bob Murphy on 4/29/11.
 *  Copyright 2011 __MyCompanyName__. All rights reserved.
 *
 */

I don't bring this up unless the client does. Clients who are sophisticated enough to want something else generally say so up front. Otherwise, I just do this by default, and in twenty years of consulting, nobody has complained.