|
|
|
| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, May 15 2012 @ 09:06 PM EDT |
No, I just think that copyright is inapt for the protection of software.
Strictly speaking, compiled code (not the comments) is only copyrightable
subject matter because it has been defined that way.
The compiler doesn't "strip away any copyright protection" what it
does (the decompiler can also do so) is abstract and transform the functional
part of the program from the parts (data, for the most part, although not
necessarily entirely exclusively) that is inherently copyrightable subject
matter (and there is a lot of that in most programs of significant commercial
value).
What I think you should be able to do is extract all the inherently
uncopyrightable (functional) elements and reuse only them as you see fit - it's
just math at that point.
That's also why I think that some form of unfair competition (also sometimes
known as intellectual property) law should apply on a product basis, so that
developers and publishers have a short (few years) period of exclusivity in
order to recoup costs and make a profit. At that point competition on the
merits of products should prevail.[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
|
|
|
|
|
