copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection compatible wit

[Rod Dixon]

Those are very good thoughts, if I may say so.
Rod


On Fri, 20 Apr 2001, Chloe Hoffman wrote:

>
> 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
> >To: Angelo Schneider
> >CC: ,
> >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:FORREST at MIBSOFTWARE.COM]
> > > > > Gesendet: Freitag, 20. April 2001 13:50:06
> > > > > An: license-discuss at opensource.org
> > > > > Cc: forrest at mibsoftware.com
> > > > > 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 Angelo.Schneider at oomentor.de
> > > Putlitzstr. 24 Patterns/FrameWorks Fon: +49 721 9812465
> > > 76137 Karlsruhe C++/JAVA Fax: +49 721 9812467
> > >
> >
>
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