[PD] Real Time Composition Library

[Piotr Majdak]

Mathieu Bouchard wrote:
> On Tue, 8 Aug 2006, David Powers wrote:
> 
>> What is the legal status of a program that mimics another programs 
>> functions, but does not copy any of the actual source code or guts?
> 
> 
> Morally, I consider that this is a god-given right.
> 
> Traditionally it has pretty much been a right (think about what the USA 
> Constitution says about intellectual property). However this system has 
> drifted over the years: I think I remember laws forbidding "reverse 
> engineering", but also, the DMCA is the biggest example. OTOH there are 
> rulings that specifically say that interfaces can't be copyrighted or 
> otherwise encumbered, and I would believe that this extends to imitation 
> of a complete program. (There were also some rulings on similar topics 
> in opposite direction... this may depend on who the judge happened to be 
> each time)

What about patents? Think of M$'s patent on double-click 
<http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/02/1086058889577.html> or adobe's patent 
on tabs <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tab_(GUI)>

br, Piotr




-- 
Piotr Majdak
Institut für Schallforschung
Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
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