Sharing Wisdom: An Analysis of Open Source Software Intellectual Property Issues

Author: Zhang Ping Ma Xiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: The open-source movement has moved beyond merely pursuing the ideals of "freedom" and "sharing." It has now entered the market, with Copyleft and Copyright becoming compatible. Open-source software has also shifted from viewing proprietary software as the devil in its early days to coexisting with it now. Open-source software is not in the public domain; it challenges traditional intellectual property laws in theory but seeks comprehensive protection through copyright law, trademark law, patent law, and more in practice. These protections, combined with license agreements (contract law), have established a system for open-source software that is similar to the comprehensive intellectual property protection of proprietary software. This book explores the parallels between open-source software and proprietary software in terms of intellectual property protection, while also supporting those who fight for open source. It hopes to contribute a stepping stone to building a software society that reasonably protects and utilizes intellectual property.