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So I have a question... How if at all does this apply to API interfaces? For example, if someone makes an app that has a compatibility interface that works exa

by throwaway2016a 9y ago

So I have a question... How if at all does this apply to API interfaces? For example, if someone makes an app that has a compatibility interface that works exactly like Amazon S3 while simultaneously competing with S3. I know several people on HN run services like that. Where the code is their own but the API interface is flat out copied from the competition.

jnwatson 9y ago
Only if you had signed up with AWS and agreed not to reverse engineer and you used the actual output of the APIs to compare to your product. This is a contract dispute around the common sense term "reverse engineer", not a copyright or IP dispute.
- throwaway2016a 9y ago
  I think it is safe to say that most of the people in that situation did sign up to AWS and AWS like just about every SaaS has a non-copy clause. Though it only has reverse engineering clauses on Microsoft software (Windows running on EC2) and some specific appliances.