Copyrights A system for registering and defending copyrights has been in place for two hundred years. It has been regularly updated and is a recognized legal specialty with substantial case histories, so it is readily available and well established. The act of original authorship creates an immediate copyright. Lasts for 50 years and can be extended. Do not need to register unless you are bringing suit.
Cases have been won defending a work protection is effective.
Unless specifically authorized, others are prohibited from copying more than a short passage. Unless specifically authorized, others are prohibited from producing an altered version or derived work. Shareware Shareware is not really a different form of intellectual property protection since it relies on copyright. It is a different method of distribution and payment. It is included here so programmers will not think it has been left out.