It is necessary to protect software from misuse or misappropriation. As such, a software developer may choose between patent and copyright, or both of them. In the olden days, the most appropriate form of software protection was copyright. However, the cyberspace era has brought many challenges that have necessitated the need for more protection for software programs. A patent is the best form of protection for software even though many developers opt for copyright due to financial constraints. The difference between copyright laws and patent systems is that a patent system will protect both an idea and its expression while copyright laws will only protect the expression of an idea. This implies that copyright laws cannot stop individuals from duplicating another person’s idea because they do not offer such protection privileges. A software developer who owns a patent can stop other people from using, copying, or reproducing patented software.
To use any feature or component of software, interested parties must seek permission from a patent owner. Patent systems offer more protection than copyright laws. A weakness of copyright laws is that they are prone to ambiguous interpretation, which has affected many software developers in past years. Copyright laws are unclear and prone to misinterpretation to favor certain individuals or organizations. However, they offer protection even though inadequate. Copyrights are appropriate for software developers who do not have enough money to patent their inventions. Patents are very expensive and appropriate for high-value software. The value of software must be more than the cost of patent protection. Otherwise, protection will be ineffective. If both are applied o protect a software program, they offer enough protection against use and misuse. However, they are very expensive. Copyright laws and patent systems prevent software developers from using components of software without permission from owners. The two are useful software protection strategies. However, the patent offers more protection than copyright laws.