I am not sure I see how 102(b) should exclude APIs from copyrightable subject matter as an absolute matter. Surely some aspects of an API may fail because of various doctrines such as merger, scenes a faire, etc. (viz. sqrt()) but I am not sure I see how a full set of APIs should be excluded per se. I find it hard to distinguish an API from a "computer program" - if APIs fail under 102(b) then shouldn't computer programs in general fail also because they comprise an idea, process, method, etc.? I see both as expressions, not the idea themselves. I think the tougher issue is infringement/derivative works (leave alone implied/express licenses, estoppels, etc.). Just some thoughts....
>From: Rod Dixon<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: Angelo Schneider<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>CC:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ,<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection compatible wit
>Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 14:12:13 -0400 (EDT)
>
>This is the issue I was hinting at. I do not believe that as a general
>matter that APIs should be copyrightable under U.S. copyright law since
>section 102(b) of the Copyright Act should exclude APIs from copyright
>subject matter. Having said that, I admit the issue seems unresolved since
>both Microsoft and Sun Microsystems are two well known developers who
>claim copyright interests in APIs; Microsoft for Windows, and Sun for
>Java.
>
>Rod
>
>
>On Fri, 20 Apr 2001, Angelo Schneider wrote:
>
> > Hi!
> >
> > In Europe APIs are not "copyright able".
> > No idea about the US.
> >
> > However if you publich them in a book, the book of course is
> > copyrighted.
> > However you can not prevent anyone to write a software against a given
> > API.
> > Same is true for data formats. (In Europe dataformats e.g. a flat file
> > format for a word processor are not copyright able)
> >
> > Regards,
> > Angelo
> >
> > Forrest J Cavalier III wrote:
> > >
> > > > ----------
> > > > Von: Forrest J Cavalier III[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> > > > Gesendet: Freitag, 20. April 2001 13:50:06
> > > > An: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > Betreff: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection compatible wit
> > > > Diese Nachricht wurde automatisch von einer Regel weitergeleitet.
> > > >
> > > How can you copyright an API? Isn't it simply a
> > > collection of facts?
> > >
> > > Perhaps you could copyright the formal parameter
> > > names, and certainly the documentation in a header
> > > file.
> > >
> > > But the facts of
> > > function name,
> > > return type(s)
> > > parameter type(s)
> > > are just facts. There is no creative expression involved.
> > >
> > > Forrest J. Cavalier III, Mib Software Voice 570-992-8824
> > > http://www.rocketaware.com/ has over 30,000 links to
> > > source, libraries, functions, applications, and documentation.
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Angelo Schneider OOAD/UML [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Putlitzstr. 24 Patterns/FrameWorks Fon: +49 721 9812465
> > 76137 Karlsruhe C++/JAVA Fax: +49 721 9812467
> >
>
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