Im planning on releasing some of my software projects under my own open source license. Ive decided to do it under a fictional company''s name, am I taking a risk here?? I mean, what if for example some guys would register a company with the same name of mine, then they would be the legal "owners" of the software since they''re registered an Im not?? Should I release the software under my real name then? And how much does it cost to register a companys name. I live in south america btw.

Laws are different in different countries so you need to talk to a local accountant/lawyer or contact the local government agency that deals with company set up in your country.

Basically you can trade as a registered company or as an individual. It costs more to set up a company and provides certain benefits but it is only really necessary if you are going to be doing a lot of business (you can always set up a company later if things get busy). If you trade as an individual you can use a trading name (a company name that isn''t registered) but your bank account etc are all still in your name. No one can come along and gain ownership of your games just by setting up a company with the same name.

Dan Marchant
Obscure Productions (www.obscure.co.uk)
Game Development & Design consultant