Product Description

How has the legal system used its traditional body of copyright and patent law to protect rights in computer software? The last 15 years have changed the entire landscape with regard to the creation and protection of software as intellectual property. Written by a computer expert with extensive participation in some of the most important software trials of the period, this book invites you to think critically about significant software issues and learn about the legal pitfalls surrounding software development in the industry today.

The book is organized around various legal issues raised by both plaintiffs and defendants in copyright litigation, and the problems of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office in dealing with the rapid proliferation of applications for software-related patents. The author explains important terms and concepts in software litigation such as infringement, substantial similarity, reverse engineering, the merger defense, and look and feel. A succinct, readable survey for computer professionals, nonlegal academics, and lawyers who need a fast summary of the critical issues and cases in software and intellectual property matters.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2071735 in Books
• Published on: 1995-05
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 1.24 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Review
"From his explanation of the code of 0's and 1's, the formatting of instructions and the history of computer languages through the function of operating system programs and the writing and processing of application programs, the reader is led from the seemingly simple to the obviously complex in a seamless style yielding constant illumination. Professor Galler's book is proof that the power of clear statement is the ultimate gift of the great teacher."-Jack E. Brown, founding partner Brown & Bain

About the Author
BERNARD A. GALLER is Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan, and has served as an expert witness in major intellectual property cases during the last 15 years.