Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> Warp wrote:
> >   Copyright applies to actual software source code. It does not apply to
> > algorithms nor functionality. If you create a program which behaves in the
> > same way as another program you are not infringing copyright, as long as
> > your code is original.

> I think it's a little different in the USA.  You're infringing on the 
> copyright if you copied the code.

  I fail to see how what you are saying is different from what I said.

  I said that code is protected by copyright, behavior isn't. You said that
code is protected by copyright.

> >   But of course in the US you can sue for anything. Just threatening to
> > sue is enough for most people. It's a rather effective means to scare
> > people.

> I was wondering - what do other countries do about this? I couldn't come 
> up with any good way of solving such a problem in the legal system. It 
> would have to be cultural, that you don't sue simply to intimidate someone.

  I suppose in countries where monetary sanctions are smaller also suing
to intimidate is rarer, but it still exists. I know of cases here in
Finland where people have been scared into complying because of lawsuit
threats, and the cases were more or less dubious.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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