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From: riddle@ut-sally.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: Copyright law
Message-ID: <174@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 25-Aug-83 11:35:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: ut-sally.174
Posted: Thu Aug 25 11:35:28 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 27-Aug-83 18:30:15 EDT
Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 11


     All right, so algorithms are not protected by copyright law.  What
about portions of "algorithms" (very broadly defined) which are themselves
textual?  I am referring primarily to user interfaces -- command syntax,
menus, the form in which output is presented, etc.  The question arose a
little while back as to whether it is legal to determine the specs of a
program and write new code which does the same thing; open season on copying
algorithms seems to imply that it is indeed okay.  Unfortunately, the
"algorithm" (narrowly defined) on which a program is based is often much
less interesting than its user interface.  Any answers out there?