user interface copyright

user interface copyright

There have been several attempts, mostly by big US softwarecompanies, to enforce patents and copyright on userinterfaces. Such legal action aims to restrict the use ofcertain command languages or graphical user interfaces toproducts from one software supplier. This is undesirablebecause it either forces users to buy software from thecompany whose interface they have learned or to learn morethan one interface. An analogy is often drawn with the userinterface of a car - the arrangement of pedals and steeringwheel etc. If each car manufacturer was forced to use adifferent interface this would be very bad for car users.

Following a non-jury trial, which began in early January 1987,a federal judge ruled on 1990-06-28 that keyboard commands andon-screen images produced by Lotus Development Corporation'spopular 1-2-3 spreadsheet are protected by copyright.Paperback Software International and subcontractorStephenson Software Ltd. who lost the case, argued that thecopyright applies only to the inner workings of the software.US District Judge Robert Keeton wrote that "The user interfaceof 1-2-3 is its most unique element and is the aspect that hasmade 1-2-3 so popular. That defendants went to such troubleto copy that element is a testament to its substantiality".Defence attorneys had argued that the Lotus commandsrepresented "instructions for a machine rather than theexpression of an idea".

Soon after this decision, on 1990-07-02, Lotus sued Borland International and the Santa Cruz Operation for producingspreadsheets (Quattro, Quattro Pro and SCO Professional)whose interfaces could be configured to look like 1-2-3's.