Does copyright law cover open-source software?

In Washington state, the answer to the question of whether copyright law covers open-source software is yes. Copyright law is a form of intellectual property law, which protects authors’ and creators’ rights to their original works. One of the components of copyright law is the right to control how their work is used, distributed, or reproduced. Open source software is software that is made available to the public under licenses that allow anyone to use the software, modify it, and even redistribute it at no cost. However, the licenses also usually require that any modifications to the codebase be made available to the public with the same rights. Because open-source software is protected under the copyright law, it is subject to the same legal protection that any other work of authorship or creation would be. The original author of the software has the exclusive right to do with the software as they please, including giving permission for others to modify it or redistribute it. If someone violates the copyright of an open-source software user, then the copyright holder has the right to seek legal remedies, such as fines or damages. In summary, copyright law does in fact cover open-source software. The original author or creator of the software has exclusive rights to how their work is used, modified, and distributed. If those rights are infringed, the copyright holder can pursue legal remedies.

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Does copyright law cover open-source software?

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