Patents are totally separate from Copyrights. For a patent, you need to show that the item being patented is new, useful, and non-obvious. You also would have a patent registration number on file with a nation's patent office. Copyrights don't have the same requirements and therefore you can copyright a software algorithm.
However, there are some restrictions on what Copyright protection will be granted. For example, if there are only so many ways a person can formulate an expression, a court will grant minimum protection. One example was a case where a software company copied Lotus's menu labels and incorporated it into their own software. The court said there were only so many ways to inform the software user where the "print" command is, etc. The best advice I can give is to consult an attorney who focuses on copyrights and license agreements. Such an attorney will be the best option because the attorney will also be able to give you a better understanding of the license. Ryan R. Matt ________________________________________________________________________ "If you truly believe, then you will find a way to achieve" "When the window of opportunity closes on you, simply go through the door." "What the mind believes, the body achieves!" ~unknown ----- Original Message ---- From: Måns Rullgård <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, October 3, 2007 4:16:55 AM Subject: Re: algorithm copyright? what's that? Antti-Juhani Kaijanaho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >> Is it a kind of "algorithm copyright"? > > No. In some countries there is. They call it a patent. > IANAL etc Neither am I. -- Måns Rullgård [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________________________________________________ Luggage? GPS? Comic books? Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=graduation+gifts&cs=bz
