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That's not totally true; in the case of software, an implementation is code, which is copyrightable. The idea, the functioning of the code, is not copyrightable
by Cushman 14y ago
That's not totally true; in the case of software, an implementation is code, which is copyrightable. The idea, the functioning of the code, is not copyrightable, but it may be patentable, because a patent is a more restricted protection on a more abstract idea.
- chii 14y agopatents protect inventions, not ideas. For physical object, this is easily discerned, but sometimes, it gets muddy when talking about a protocol, or some sort of algorithm. I dislike software patents, but the intention of patents isn't to protect an abstract idea (whether its been twisted to do so is another argument for another day...)
- Cushman 14y agoBut an invention is obviously a kind of idea. Patents and copyright both protect kinds of ideas; that's why we call them intellectual property.
- aidenn0 14y agoYou actually patent running the algorithm on a general purpose machine, not the code itself. Code is unpatentable.