What is a software copyright?

A software copyright is a form of intellectual property protection for software developers. It gives the software developer exclusive rights to the program and prevents others from copying, distributing, modifying or selling the software without the developer’s permission. Software copyright is a form of copyright law which is governed by both Federal and Mississippi laws. The Federal Copyright Act of 1976 was the first federal legislation to protect software copyrights. This law gave software authors exclusive rights to their computer programs, including the right to make copies, create derivatives, sell or give away the program, and control who has the right to use and modify the software. Mississippi also has its own laws that protect software copyrights. Many software companies register their copyrights in both Federal and Mississippi courts. Software copyright can be a powerful tool for software developers to protect their work from being copied or misused. Software copyright does not protect ideas, however, only specific expressions of ideas. This means software developers should still be aware of their own rights and protect their own code and ideas through nondisclosure agreements. In Mississippi, software copyright violations can be punishable by hefty fines or even prison time.

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What is a software copyright?

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