Software Copyright Protection
February 20, 2009
Intellectual Property News and Interesting Facts
Many people mistakenly believe that software is protected by patent laws in South Africa. Software cannot be patented in South Africa, instead the law makes provision for software copyright protection. The following will qualify for software copyright protection:
- Source code
- On-screen lay-out
- Character or animation that is part of a specific program
The above are the broad categories. The South African software copyright protection however, is not adequate to deal with the expansion in the industry.
The need for patenting rights regarding certain aspects of software programs is on the rise. The European law has been well developed regarding patenting rights for computer programs and provides clear guidelines as to the technical characteristics required for patentability of a computer program.
Since we are not there yet, and have no court history of interpretation regarding patentability of computer programs in South Africa, we still have to settle for the allowable software copyright protection that exists.
More articles about Software related Intellectual Property:
Copyright Infringement of Software is a Widespread Problem
Digital Freedom under the Spotlight
Can I obtain a patent for my software-related invention?
How to Copyright Computer Programs & Software
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