While there are several ways to legally protect your SaaS software, copyright law is the most popular and maybe the easiest way to protect it. Every SaaS executive needs to know a few things about SaaS software and copyright law.
Can you obtain copyright protection for your GUI?
This is an important issue, and one that many vendors do not understand. As a general matter, obtaining copyright protection for source code is easy, but obtaining protection for GUIs is not that simple. Here is a deeper post on the ins and outs.
What is the difference between Contract and Copyright Protection for Software?
Contracts and Copyright are two totally different ways to legally protect your software. This post explains the difference and why you should use both methods.
What is Fair Use?
Fair use is an important defense to copyright infringement, and a concept that is rarely understood. It is essentially a 4-part balancing-of-interests test. Keep in mind it is subjective, so relying on it is not always the best way to go.
Protecting your software really matters. If you don’t take steps to protect your software today, it may leave your product vulnerable to competitors creating lookalikes and stealing your customers.
For the foundational frame on the four IP regimes that protect software — copyright, trademark, patent, and trade secret — see Intellectual Property Basics for Software Companies.
Disclaimer:
This post is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not legal advice.