EU Court Adviser Says Software Ideas Can't Be Copyrighted 196
bhagwad writes "The EU continues to ooze common sense as a court insists that software functions themselves cannot be copyrighted. Drawing a box or moving cursor are examples. To quote: 'If it were accepted that a functionality of a computer program can be protected as such, that would amount to making it possible to monopolize ideas, to the detriment of technological progress and industrial development.'" Note that this is a "non-binding opinion by Yves Bot, an advocate-general at the Luxembourg-based EU Court of Justice,"
and that the court "will rule on the case next year."
Don't worry Apple (Score:5, Funny)
Rectangles with rounded corners are still safe.
Re:Please let the Americans know this ... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Finally! Yes... (Score:2, Funny)
A kink in your armor, you British Scum.
Re:Outrage (Score:4, Funny)
Channel Steve Jobs much?
Re:How Much (Score:5, Funny)
There are Packers fans in Europe?
Re:Finally! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Don't worry Apple (Score:2, Funny)
I love how corporations are, supposedly, people, but noone expects them to act ethically or for the good of the society.
Define what that means. Are you suggesting that not patenting inventions, or failing to enforce the patents is ethical? If copycats take advantage of your R&D such that you lose market share and have to lay off employees, that is beneficial to society?
Are you really making the case that people, acting as individuals, are all ethical and act in the good of society?
Your world must be nice. Delusional, but nice.