I found this passage from WildUtah's link very helpful in understanding the subtle differences here: "But crucially, copyright protection allows someone to ind

I found this passage from WildUtah's link very helpful in understanding the subtle differences here: "But crucially, copyright protection allows someone to independently develop software to achieve the "same overall result" as a copyrighted program. In contrast, patent law doesn't allow independent invention limiting the opportunities of future innovators and creating the risk of accidental infringement and wasteful litigation."