no, i don't confuse them at all, although they are both forms of IP protection, just as C and basic are both programing languages and some principles are common to both (though not many in that case). there certainly are similarities in patent, trademark, and copyright law, as well as differences. obviously a "derived work" which represents considerable work is copyrightable and protectable, as is an "improvement patent" which builds on prior patents. on the other hand, changing the data format by scanning physical documents into a computer, particularly if ocr isn't done would not be considered a reasonable amount of work by most people, or most courts i would hope. Wouter van Ooijen wrote: >=20 > > very doubtful, and certainly not what the law was intended to > > mean. > (snip) > > at least that seems to be the result most of > > the time when large companies sue over alleged patent infringement. >=20 > You seem to confuse patent and copyright. If that is true I would not > trust your opinion if I were you! A derived work which consitutes a > reasonable amount of (added) work is certainly protected by copyright > law. ----- --=20 =93Cowardice asks the question: is it safe? Expediency asks the question: is it politic? Vanity asks the question: is it popular? But conscience asks the question: is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular- but one must take it simply because it is right.=94 : Martin Luther King Jr. 1929-1968 _______________________________________________ http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist