copyright html or javascript

Can you copyright HTML or Javascript? As in can I build a table with a calculation javascript and HTML and then copyright it? I wouldnt think so but....Jus curious

As soon as you create it, it's copyrighted. There is no formal copyright
process required.

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"A.H.O." <webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote

Can you copyright HTML or Javascript? As in can I build a table with a
calculation javascript and HTML and then copyright it? I wouldnt think so

but....Jus curious

Can you copyright HTML or Javascript? As in can I build a table with a
calculation javascript and HTML and then copyright it? I wouldnt think so

but....Jus curious

You can copyright any original work that you create. That said, upholding it
in court, when talking of basic markup and scripting like javascript and
HTML, then I doubt you'd have much of a case.

-Darrel

You can copyright javascript functions in some circumstances. But if it's
something painfully obvious like

function okBox(text)
{
alert(text);
}

then we'll have to draw, quarter, tar, and feather you before boiling you
alive. Although I doubt you'd ever get a copyright for something so simple.
It would be like writing "I am happy" in your poem and trying to copyright that
sentence....

You can't copyright HTML, but you can certainly copyright the text the HTML is
structuring. I mean, seriously, do you think you can copyright a 5x5 table and
have that stand up in court? I know that's not what you meant. Just
exaggerating to make a point.

Just know that there is very little chance that you have written some code
that is not similar to what someone else has already done in the decade or
so since the Web has been popular.


"A.H.O." <webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote

Can you copyright HTML or Javascript? As in can I build a table with a
calculation javascript and HTML and then copyright it? I wouldnt think so

but....Jus curious

Although I doubt you'd ever get a copyright for something so simple.

Don't underestimate the idiocy of the USPTO. ;o)

You can't copyright HTML

Sure you can. Anything you create is copyrighted. Again, for things like
HTML, I doubt you could ever hold it up in court.

Personally speaking, even though I'm a graphic designer, I'm slowly finding
that I disagree with a lot of IP laws these days. I'm leaning more towards
the 'share and share alike' model...at least in terms of web dev.

-Darrel

On 7/20/04 9:06 AM, in article cdj8t5$n1$1 (AT) forums (DOT) macromedia.com, "A.H.O."
<webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote:

Can you copyright HTML or Javascript? As in can I build a table with a
calculation javascript and HTML and then copyright it? I wouldnt think so
but....Jus curious

What you are copyrighting is the page content and design (or the "look and
feel") of the page. There are many ways to achieve the same appearance in
html, so copyrighting the html would be an exercise in futility. You
copyright what the visitor "SEES".

That said, it is a good idea to put the copyright on the page, just in case
there is any possibility that someone might mistake the content for
something that was meant to be in the public domain.

More important are any trademarks that appear on the page. There are two
types of trademarks. If your company does not do business outside of one
state, then use the "TM" trademark. It is not a registered trademark, but
serves to identify your intent for the name or symbol to serve as a
trademark, should you ever have to defend your intent in court. If your
company can produce receipts from more than one state, then you can apply
for a registered trademark "®". That goes through the US Patent and
Trademark Office and gives your trademark legal standing in all states. Just
advertising in more than one state is not usually enough to qualify a
company for a registered trademark. It normally requires receipts from
multiple states.

Just remember that all patents, copyrights and trademarks are subject to
challenge in court. All that you are doing with such markings is improving
your "legal standing", should your claim ever be challenged in court.
Therefore, how much time and money you want to put into such protection
should be based somewhat upon what kind of challenge you have reason to
think that you might some day face.

John Gaver
Action America
(forget everything to contact me direct)

Microsoft: (n) Job security for IT consultants.

Ah yes....The USPO. Ive actually got 3 patents already, and a trademark in the
process. That stuff is old hat...(not that I dont appreciate the time you took
to respond...I DO) But my question goes more toward repeating someone elses
work. Not that I want to Copy or plagerize (spelling?). But In KNOW there are
websites out there that have automatic calulation pages. IE a page that a user
can enter a set of given info like arrow speed and weight and calculate to get
an answer. I want to do a page like that, and looking at another page it said
that the page was copyrighted including the calculating tables....I have an
intimate knowledge of copyright law, patent law etc. but I dont know how it the
WWW is affecting it. I understand copyright as far as "look and feel" go, but
my concern lies in table funtion. IE calculating stuff.

Im 99% sure that I dont have to worry about it, but who wants to get a letter
from some schmucks attorney. Know what I mean? Anyway, I agree with all of
you, and figured the same. Just seeing if there were any condradicting
viewpoints out there.

Thanks

On 7/20/04 5:26 PM, in article cdk664$88p$1 (AT) forums (DOT) macromedia.com, "A.H.O."
<webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote:

But In KNOW there are websites out there that have automatic calulation pages.
IE a page that a user can enter a set of given info like arrow speed and
weight and calculate to get an answer. I want to do a page like that, and
looking at another page it said that the page was copyrighted including the
calculating tables....I have an intimate knowledge of copyright law, patent
law etc. but I dont know how it the WWW is affecting it. I understand
copyright as far as "look and feel" go, but my concern lies in table funtion.
IE calculating stuff.

Im 99% sure that I dont have to worry about it, but who wants to get a letter
from some schmucks attorney.

If the calculation tables are in the public domain, then you obviously have
no problem. OTOH, if they did their own research (spent money) to build
those tables, then they very well may have standing.

John Gaver
Action America
(forget everything to contact me direct)

Microsoft: (n) Job security for IT consultants.

Based on what the patent attorneys here at work have told me, you can't
patent an algorithm per se, but you can patent a process by which that
algorithm is implemented. That being the case, I would think you can
create a calculation table like the one you saw, but you can't copy
their processes (i.e. cut and paste code).

IANAL, but this would seem reasonable and practical.

- Josh