Give inventor a monopoly on invention for 20 years Purposes to reward the inventor and encourage disclosure and use of invention so others benefit from it too. New Issues Software is a new form of intellectual property. Billions of dollars of software is copied illegally worldwide every year. It has become much easier because of new computer technology. Complex questions about how similar one software developer s program may legally be to another s.
Publishers often hold copyrights on books and other literary works.
In 1908 a song copied onto a perforated piano music roll. Could not be read visually. Was not a violation. 1960s- began recognizing copyright for software and databases also law did not mention them. One significant theme in the development of copyright law has been devising good definitions to broaden the scope of protection to new technologies.