4 ms·
AS has been covered elsewhere, an API is a functional description and not copyrightable, irrespective of what a specific court says. This specific court has had
by oldandtired 9y ago
AS has been covered elsewhere, an API is a functional description and not copyrightable, irrespective of what a specific court says. This specific court has had its rulings slapped about so much by the next higher court, it is a wonder that they haven't just packed up and gone home.
That is why telephone books and others things are not copyrightable. They are lists of facts. API's are lists of facts, a functional specification for use.
There are consequences if this stands and it will not be to our benefit as programmers, developers, designers, etc. Nor will it be to the benefit of society as a whole.
- hcknwscommenter 9y agoTelephone books are copyrightable. This is black letter law. As said by the Supreme Court in Feist, "Notwithstanding a valid copyright, a subsequent compiler remains free to use the facts contained in another's publication to aid in preparing a competing work, so long as the competing work does not feature the same selection and arrangement," In other words, if it does feature the same selection and arrangement, it is a violation of copyright. Your statement that APIs are not copyrightable is not true as well.
- zbyte64 9y agoWhere can I go copyright my phone number? I want to make those marketers pay a royalty for even storing my number.