<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 5.50.4611.1300" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=030130121-20042001>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.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=030130121-20042001>Fred
Patrick</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Chloe Hoffman
[mailto:chloehoffman@hotmail.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, April 20, 2001 1:36
PM<BR><B>To:</B> rodd@cyberspaces.org<BR><B>Cc:</B>
license-discuss@opensource.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: copyrightable APIs? (was
RE: namespace protection compatible wit<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P>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.... <BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Rod Dixon<RODD@CYBERSPACES.ORG>
<DIV></DIV>>To: Angelo Schneider<ANGELO.SCHNEIDER@OOMENTOR.DE>
<DIV></DIV>>CC:<FORREST@MIBSOFTWARE.COM> ,<LICENSE-DISCUSS@OPENSOURCE.ORG>
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace protection
compatible wit
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 14:12:13 -0400 (EDT)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>This is the issue I was hinting at. I do not believe that as a
general
<DIV></DIV>>matter that APIs should be copyrightable under U.S. copyright
law since
<DIV></DIV>>section 102(b) of the Copyright Act should exclude APIs from
copyright
<DIV></DIV>>subject matter. Having said that, I admit the issue seems
unresolved since
<DIV></DIV>>both Microsoft and Sun Microsystems are two well known
developers who
<DIV></DIV>>claim copyright interests in APIs; Microsoft for Windows, and
Sun for
<DIV></DIV>>Java.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Rod
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>On Fri, 20 Apr 2001, Angelo Schneider wrote:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> > Hi!
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > In Europe APIs are not "copyright able".
<DIV></DIV>> > No idea about the US.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > However if you publich them in a book, the book of course
is
<DIV></DIV>> > copyrighted.
<DIV></DIV>> > However you can not prevent anyone to write a software
against a given
<DIV></DIV>> > API.
<DIV></DIV>> > Same is true for data formats. (In Europe dataformats
e.g. a flat file
<DIV></DIV>> > format for a word processor are not copyright able)
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Regards,
<DIV></DIV>> > Angelo
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Forrest J Cavalier III wrote:
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > > > ----------
<DIV></DIV>> > > > Von: Forrest J Cavalier
III[SMTP:FORREST@MIBSOFTWARE.COM]
<DIV></DIV>> > > > Gesendet: Freitag, 20. April 2001 13:50:06
<DIV></DIV>> > > > An: license-discuss@opensource.org
<DIV></DIV>> > > > Cc: forrest@mibsoftware.com
<DIV></DIV>> > > > Betreff: copyrightable APIs? (was RE: namespace
protection compatible wit
<DIV></DIV>> > > > Diese Nachricht wurde automatisch von einer
Regel weitergeleitet.
<DIV></DIV>> > > >
<DIV></DIV>> > > How can you copyright an API? Isn't it simply a
<DIV></DIV>> > > collection of facts?
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > > Perhaps you could copyright the formal parameter
<DIV></DIV>> > > names, and certainly the documentation in a header
<DIV></DIV>> > > file.
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > > But the facts of
<DIV></DIV>> > > function name,
<DIV></DIV>> > > return type(s)
<DIV></DIV>> > > parameter type(s)
<DIV></DIV>> > > are just facts. There is no creative expression
involved.
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > > Forrest J. Cavalier III, Mib Software Voice
570-992-8824
<DIV></DIV>> > > http://www.rocketaware.com/ has over 30,000 links to
<DIV></DIV>> > > source, libraries, functions, applications, and
documentation.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
----------------------------------------------------------------------
<DIV></DIV>> > Angelo Schneider OOAD/UML Angelo.Schneider@oomentor.de
<DIV></DIV>> > Putlitzstr. 24 Patterns/FrameWorks Fon: +49 721 9812465
<DIV></DIV>> > 76137 Karlsruhe C++/JAVA Fax: +49 721 9812467
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV><BR clear=all>
<HR>
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <A
href="http://explorer.msn.com">http://explorer.msn.com</A><BR>
<P></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>