-----Original Message-----
From: Chloe Hoffman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2001 1:36 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection compatible wit>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 > > >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....
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I have
a slightly different question about API's and copyrights. Suppose one has an API
that acts as a specification for access to a library and perhaps a sample
implementation. I dont care if someone creates another implementation of the
API, in fact I want to encourage other people to do so. What I do not want is
for someone to modify the API and therefore the specification of the libraries
behavior. What is the role of copyrights in achieving this.
Fred
Patrick
- Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection com... Angelo Schneider
- Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection com... Chloe Hoffman
- Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protectio... Angelo Schneider
- Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection com... Chloe Hoffman
- Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection com... Chloe Hoffman
- Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection com... Chloe Hoffman
- Fred Patrick