| CARVIEW |
Print Book $34.99
Safari Books Online
Print Book £21.99
Looking to Reprint this content?
By Van Lindberg
First Edition
July 2008
Pages: 390
Series: Theory In Practice
ISBN 10: 0-596-51796-3 |
ISBN 13: 9780596517960
This book is a guide to the legal system-without the legalese. From trade secrets to open source, this book offers a clear and understandable approach to intellectual property issues from a developer's point of view. Written by an intellectual property attorney who is also a programmer, Intellectual Property and Open Source delivers an engrossing survey of the legal landscape and practical advice about situations you're likely to encounter when working on open source projects and pursuing new business ideas.
Full Description
If you work in information technology, intellectual property is central to your job -- but dealing with the complexities of the legal system can be mind-boggling. This book is for anyone who wants to understand how the legal system deals with intellectual property rights for code and other content. You'll get a clear look at intellectual property issues from a developer's point of view, including practical advice about situations you're likely to encounter.
Written by an intellectual property attorney who is also a programmer, Intellectual Property and Open Source helps you understand patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and licenses, with special focus on the issues surrounding open source development and the GPL. This book answers questions such as:
- How do open source and intellectual property work together?
- What are the most important intellectual property-related issues when starting a business or open source project?
- How should you handle copyright, licensing and other issues when accepting a patch from another developer?
- How can you pursue your own ideas while working for someone else?
- What parts of a patent should be reviewed to see if it applies to your work?
- When is your idea a trade secret?
- How can you reverse engineer a product without getting into trouble?
- What should you think about when choosing an open source license for your project?
Most legal sources are too scattered, too arcane, and too hard to read. Intellectual Property and Open Source is a friendly, easy-to-follow overview of the law that programmers, system administrators, graphic designers, and many others will find essential.
Cover | Table of Contents | Colophon
Featured customer reviews
Be the first person to review this book!
Media reviews
"Over the past 10 years, I've read every open-source legal book written. Lindberg's book is by far the best. If you've wanted a book that helps to explain complex open-source legal questions in a readable, approachable style, this is it. If you've wanted to know how to write an open-source contract, or whether patents were going to be the undoing of your project, here's your book...It truly is the best thing written about open source since Eric Raymond's "The Cathedral and the Bazaar." Yes, I really mean it. I think it's that good for helping people navigate the questions that arise from open source."
-- Matt Asay, The Open Road
"Clear, correct, and deep, this is a welcome addition to discussions of law and computing for anyone -- even lawyers! "
-- Lawrence Lessig, law professor at Stanford Law School, founder of the Stanford Center for Internet and Society
Read all reviews
"I'd suggest you read this book. It truly is the best thing written about open source since Eric Raymond's "The Cathedral and the Bazaar."carview.php?tsp="
--Matt Asay, The Open Road
About O'Reilly | Contact | Jobs | Press Room | How to Advertise | Privacy Policy
|
© 2008, O'Reilly Media, Inc. | (707) 827-7000 / (800) 998-9938
All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing on oreilly.com are the property of their respective owners.