Do you patent a website or copyright it?

[MDanz]

I've already copyrighted it... but is that enough?. incase someone stole the website idea (methodology)? ... can you protect those things in a website?

 

i assume you can't because there would be only one website of it's kind.. like just youtube and no other video streaming sites.

[Philip]

You can patent software ideas, however it's a lengthy process from what I've heard. If you're in the US you can read more at the Patent Office

[ChemicalBliss]

It depends on exactly how "unique" your code is and how reproducable it is. There is no point in patenting a binary operation for example, or even a guestbook that allows people to mark tgheir location on a map - these things are too "general" and can be implemented uniquely almost infinite ways.

 

Copyrighting code should be enough. If you find someone else has "copied" your idea, you check their binary/code to see if it is similar to your own, tehre are analysts that can do this for you and if you find that certain parts were copied then you can sue for copyright infringement - which will show any other would-be copyier that you mean business.

 

Basically - You can't patent something that inherently cannot be unique. (code/software).

You can copyright and protect it. Through enforcement and legal processes.

 

hope this helps

[gizmola]

You can patent software ideas, however it's a lengthy process from what I've heard. If you're in the US you can read more at the Patent Office

 

The software patent process is a complete joke.

 

For a website -- copyright it is about the best you can do, although a lot of people are going for alternative licenses like CC these days.  There's also a lot of action around people trademarking (Twitter") their brand names and logos, but that's a seperate process.  You have to file for a trademark, whereas you can simply add the copyright symbol and statement to your site.

[Philip]

The software patent process is a complete joke.

Very true.

 

A note I forgot to mention: when in doubt, ask for professional advice! (And no, most of us don't count as professional lawyers )

[cssfreakie]

It depends on your jurisdiction, but you can never get a monopoly on a 'sole idea'. What you can protect is a technical novelty (in the form of a worked out idea) , by requesting a patent. Now that is a tricky thing because they look worldwide if that technique already exists or is known. So if you have a great idea, don't tell or publish it to anyone if you want to be able to get a patent for it. Because ones you tell or publish it it's not new anymore and unsuitable to patent it. Besides that patents are expensive! Further more ones you patent something the technique is published, so everyone can just copy it (illegally). And you need the power/money to sue them. So sometimes, it's better to keep something a secret.

 

Now as far as copyright, that really depends, in Europe Copyright exists instantly from the moment you create something (that is suitable),  there is no need to declare the copyright sign. Although it doesn't harm to declare it anyway to prevent certain people from copying. In the US you do need to declare that sign (see copyright act).

 

If you have questions let me know I did a masters on this in the EU