[AccessD] Database Patent

Where are you getting that from?  You can copyright code, in fact, as
soon as you write it, it is copyrighted.  

Drew

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Susan Harkins
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 11:06 AM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Database Patent

Thanks Charlotte -- I wanted to say the same thing days ago, but just
listened instead. I'm in a rather unique position because I write about
code. You can't copyright code, although... some will tell you can. You
can
copyright the method in which you share the code -- like a recipe, but
you
can't copyright the actual code. Authors and developers that tell you
they
own code and warn you that if you can't use it independently of them are
blowing smoke. Applications and solutions are definitely copyrightable,
but
even then, all someone has to do is change something just a bit, and
wa-la... a new solution. We see this everyday on this list -- given the
same
problem, we see different solutions, but often, the same exact solution
from
several people. You can't claim that as your own, although you can claim
the
finished product as your own and even protect it through licensing. 

A patent really seems like overkill on any kind of code-dependent
solution,
but not sure it even matters. Nicholas Roosevelt, not Robert Fulton,
invented and even patented the side paddle steamboat apparatus, but
nobody
knows that or even cares and he never made a dime from it because the
"technology" exploded -- to have chased it would've cost him more money
than
he would've made in restitution. 

I think a patent is only as good as the lawyers you can afford. 

Susan H. 


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