apis & copyrights
DESCRIPTION
The EU has ruled that APIs are not copyrightable and the jury is literally still out in the USA. The implications of a decision could have far-reaching consequences for software and API-based businesses. Should APIs be covered by copyright law? Would developers and innovation be stifled by copyrightable APIs? Or would it afford protection over IP? Join the Apigee team for a discussion of the pros and cons, and the potential consequences if APIs are held to be copyrightable.TRANSCRIPT
APIs & CopyrightsModerated by
Brian Pagano@brianpagano
With commentary from
Sam Ramji@sramji
Ed Anuff@edanuff
Greg Brail@gbrail
Marsh Gardiner@earth2marsh
Brian Mulloy@landlessness
Anant Jhingran@jhingran
groups.google.com/group/api-craft
youtube.com/apigee
slideshare.net/apigee
Topics• Introductions• Disclaimers• Copyright Law Primer• Oracle vs. Google• Panel Discussion• Conclusion
@gbrail@edanuff
@landlessness
@brianpagano
@jhingran
@sramji
@earth2marsh
Panelist AvengerBrian Pagano Nick FurySam Ramji ThorEd Anuff HawkeyeGreg Brail Captain AmericaAnant Jhingran HulkMarsh Gardiner Iron ManBrian Mulloy Wolverine (alternate)
DISCLAIMER #1: We are technologists. We are not lawyers.
DISCLAIMER #2: The opinions of the panelist are not the opinions of any organization or company.
Copyright Law Primer
Copyright != Trademark != Patent
1709
Sta
tute
of
Anne
1790
US
Copy
right
Act
1830
US
Copy
right
Act
1886
Ber
ne
Conv
entio
n19
09 U
S Co
pyrig
ht A
ct
1910
Bue
nos
Aire
s Co
nven
tion
1976
US
Copy
right
Act
1989
U.S
. Sig
ns
Bern
e Co
nven
tion
1998
Mick
ey
Mou
se
Prot
ectio
n Ac
t
1989
John
son
Cont
rols
v. Ph
oeni
x
Cont
rol S
yste
ms
1996
Lotu
s v.
Borla
nd
2010
SAS
v. W
orld
Prog
ram
min
g
2012
Ora
cle v.
Go
ogle
A computer program is made up of several different components, including the source and object code, the structure, sequence and/or organization of the program, the user interface, and the function, or purpose, of the program. Whether a particular component of a program is protected by a copyright depends on whether it qualifies as an 'expression' of an idea, rather than the idea itself.
“
-John Controls v. Phoenix Control SystemsUnited States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Oct. 3, 1989
APIs have been copyrightable for more than 22 years.
Oracle vs. Google
Panel Discussion
How will copyrighted APIs impact developer adoption?
Some web API providers have explicitly copied other web APIs.
What’s up with that, Marsh?
Some web APIs are simple wrappers on top of data, for example /countries/ca/population/2010.
What’s up with that, Anant?
What do API copyrights mean for web API monetization?
Will API copyrights destroy the app economy and the web, Ed and Sam?
What should API providers do about their APIs and copyrights, Greg?
Final thoughts?
Questions from Audience
THANK YOUQuestions and ideas to:
groups.google.com/group/api-craft
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THANK YOUContact us at:
Sam Ramji@sramji
Ed Anuff@edanuff
Greg Brail@gbrail
Marsh Gardiner@earth2marsh
Brian Mulloy@landlessness
Anant Jhingran@jhingran
Brian Pagano@brianpagano