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How to copyright software
How to Copyright Software Sanely
If you're wondering how to copyright software the good news is you've probably already done it. At least you have if you have ever written software. Most people however get confused over exactly what having a copyright for their software means and this is the trickier question to answer. First of all, thinking it isn't going to do it and you can't really copyright the things you think.
Second, only those things that can be seen (when it comes to software) can be copyrighted. If you want to protect the abstract, look into patents. Otherwise if it is original, fixed, and tangible you can copyright it. Essentially you already know how to copyright software if you've put it into a finished form. Once you've written the source code the copyright belongs to you.
Copyrighting software doesn't offer the protection that many people hope it will. The idea of the software and anything about the finished product that wasn't available in a tangible (visible) form isn't protected by the copyright. In fact the only thing that is undeniably protected by copyright when it comes to software is the source code. The question you should be asking is now how to copyright software, it is how to patent your software and that requires a much more involved and prolonged explanation.
To obtain a patent for your software you must apply for a patent in each country that offers patents for software and in which you wish to have the protection a patent can offer. I warned you this was much trickier than how to copyright software. Then it gets trickier still. There is no universal legal definition of what a software patent is so each country that offers patents also has a different definition for what is protected by that patent as well as for why a patent will be granted. If you want to add to the confusion a little more while wondering how to copyright software, also consider the fact that your software may be given a patent in one of the countries where you applied and none of the others.
Of course, if this is not enough fun for you, you can try to deal with the red tape involved in dealing with multiple governments in order to resolve any issues or disputes that may have arisen from the result of the software patents you hold. If you've forgotten the original question it was: how to copyright software? I told you that one was much easier.
The main thing you need to do if you're going for international patents (which can secure a profitable future for you and your business) is to get a really good patent lawyer and have him walk you through and hold your hand for the entire process. In fact, I would say that's probably the best advice you can get. Patents are complicated and when you're not exactly sure of what you're doing, whom you need to talk to, and what the next step is you stand to waste a lot of time while taking a bigger risk. It is much easier to deal with how to copyright software on your own than it is to work out the complicated world of software patents.
If this is your first time designing your own software you have every right to be nervous and excited and scared to death at the same time. Remember lawyers went to school much longer than you in order to know what to do in this situation so you should not be expected to know how to copyright software when you've never done it before.
Software copyright sample Software Copyright Sample Builds Loyal Customer Bases When choosing software copyright sample many before focusing on one or two. It is impossible to try every piece of software that exists in the world of software today. There are so many pieces of software currently on the market and new software being created as I type this. With so many new and different, competing and interesting software programs so widely available you might find something wonderful and unique available at a wonderful price or better yet, for free in the open source arena. Open source software isn't exactly software copyright sample material. This software is occasionally used as a testing ground for unproven versions of software, for software testing, or simply to determine the demand for a particular type of software. Chances are pretty good however; that if you've ever thought, "I wish I could find a program that did (insert whatever here)" someone else has had the same thought and created a program that will do just that. Perhaps the greatest beauty of a software copyright sample is that you get a taste of what the software can do without the expense of purchasing to find out whether it is right for you or your needs. There are actually many ways that companies both for profit and open source companies allow potential customers or converts to sample their products. Linux is a great example of this. They have gone from an open source nuisance to a viable competitor to many larger software companies by providing free software or a software copyright sample to consumers in order to whet their appetites for future offerings designed with profit in mind. What has developed is a viable (and growing) source of competition for Microsoft. Many open source developers are operating very much like Linux and starting out by offering a free software copyright sample to those who will try them out and give them feedback. They use the feedback to make improvements and build better products while making a name for themselves, their customer service, and the quality of the products they build. It's a win-win situation for many consumers and businesses that are just starting out and operating on a shoestring on both the part of those that offer the software copyright sample and those that are benefiting from the sample. Other companies are not as altruistic or are not as willing to wait for the payoffs. Instead of offering a completely free software copyright sample, they will offer you a free trial to their software that will either end at the end of the trial period and require a new subscription or automatically begin charging your credit card. Both of these practices have proven themselves to be highly effective methods of winning not only new customers but also seemingly unshakeable customer loyalty on the part of those that purchase software from these developers or companies. If you do an Internet search for open source software I think you will be astounded at the quality and selection that exists. There are programs that exist to do almost anything. My favorite (I must admit) are the game, but there are also many wonderful programs that can do amazing things like track your golf score, convert currency, help you organize your kitchen more effectively, figure out how much tile you need in a room. Almost anything that needs to be done, there is a piece of software that can do it-open source. The important thing to remember is that you won't find these programs in your local software store but you may find something similar to your copyright software sample that will cost considerably more money than the finished and polished version of the software that you are able to sample free. Copyright music free Getting Copyright Music Free can Pay the Artists There are few people that will allow you to use their copyright music free. If you've found a person or a business that is willing to allow this then either consider yourself extremely lucky or start searching for the very fine print. Most people feel a certain kindred or passion for the music they like and they aren't overly willing to part with it at all unless they feel it is their calling to share this music with the world. In those circumstances you will be amazed at how eager they are to share their "message". I however, worry more about those that are eager to share than I worry about those who say no rather quickly and without sending another thought your way. Call me crazy but I'm usually the first one to give my things away and to share when I don't really have that much to begin with. I believe in sacrifice and the need for giving to those who have less or those whose needs are somehow not being met. This makes me a prime candidate for those who would ask me to share my copyright music free. I'm afraid my answer to that question is almost always going to be a no of my own. That being said I've always held a special fondness for musicians. Perhaps it's those teen crushes from which I've never fully recovered-ahem-2 or 3 years later. The problem today is the people are downloading copyright music free online without regards to the fact that when they get it free, someone isn't getting paid for their talents, efforts, and hard work. There are alternatives that will allow you to download the music really cheaply or pay a subscription fee for a service that allows you to download all the music you want for one set amount each month. These services allow the talented writers and performers of this music that adds so much to our lives each and every day to get paid for their labor. Paying for the music in this manner also allows us to enjoy that music while cutting out the middlemen and markups we often pay when purchasing music at retail prices. You do not have to get copyright music free in order to enjoy a wonderful bargain and when you pay something for your music you are ensuring that these talented writers and performers will find it profitable to continue providing this music that entertains you so much. We all enjoy getting things for free or feeling as though we've gotten a terrific bargain. That is one reason that subscription services are so wildly popular. You pay one price for the privilege of downloading as much music as your hard drive and modem can handle each month. It's like paying one fee and enjoying copyright music free except that you are actually paying for the music you are getting in other ways. More importantly though, the artists, writers, and recording companies are getting a piece of the profit pie, which keeps them in business. After the recent problems involved with massive and illegal downloading of copyright music free, recording companies began putting their proverbial feet down and demanding that action be taken. The solutions have been quite clever and highly effective. Consumers were much more willing to pay a monthly subscription fee that amounted to the amount of money that one CD would cost in order to download unlimited music from their homes. Record companies are getting paid for work that has already been done without the need actually produce, deliver, transport, and market their new CDs. This is copyright music free in its best form for all involved. |