When created an open source project, what copyright year to put?

Question

Let's say I create an open-source project over a few months in 2012, and then release it.

If I then come back and modify it in 2013, what copyright do I put? Should it be (c) 2012 - 2013 or just (c) 2013?

Answer 1

Frankly it doesn't matter, because the copyright text doesn't have any legal meaning. You have the same rights regardless of whether there is any copyright notice or not.

Use whatever feels relevant for the product. I would just use the latest year, until the product has a substantial enough lifetime that a range of years seems warranted.