Can software be copyrighted?
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Hi everybody, I am a software engineer. I have just written a program for writing code. But I am concerned that my software will be stolen by others. So I want to ask everyone can you apply copyright to my software? Thank you very much.
That question is a little off topic for these forums, but the short answer is: “Yes” in most countries. In the US, once a thing is in any fixed form - in a Word doc, a recording, a doodle on the back of a napkin - that is a work that can be copyrighted. The task then is to protect/enforce your copyright…which is a whole ‘nother conversation that’s far too large for me to coherently cover (or care about, on a weekend afternoon). THAT will differ from country to country, also.
Thanks for your opinion
Hi everyone on this forum. You should remember, copyright only protects original creations of authorship. So if you’ve created your own software, you may be able to secure copyright for it. But if you’ve merely downloaded software, you cant obtain copyright protection for it. If you’re unsure if your software qualifies for copyright protection, it’s best to consult with a copyright attorney. Thank you for giving me your point of view, a specialist in software from Andersen.