Can you copyright source code?
Is the code copyrighted? Almost certainly yes. Under copyright law, source code is a literary work (like a book). And, just like any other writing, it is immediately copyrighted regardless of the author registering it with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Can software be copied?
The Copyright Law recognizes that all intellectual works (programs, For software this means it is illegal to copy or distribute software, or its documentation, without the permission of the copyright holder.
Do you put copyright notices in source files?
It’s a common practice to place copyright notices, various legal disclaimers and sometimes even full license agreements in each source file of an open-source project. Is this really necessary for a (1) open-source project and (2) closed-source project? What are you trying to achieve or prevent by putting these notices in source files?
Is there any copyright in open source software?
Most people play fair and respect copyright and license terms. Just wanted to note Open Source != No Copyright. Open Source relies on someone claiming copyright then adopting a specific legal document (Like the GPL) to give others rights to that code. So whatever you decided is suitable for closed source code is also suitable for open source code.
Why do I need copyright on my code?
Another reason to put a copyright on your code is that it lets others know who wrote it. I like to be able to see where code came from and how long it has been around. It is interesting and useful to see how code has been used in other projects.
Who is the copyright owner of this file?
/* Copyright (C) 1883 Thomas Edison – All Rights Reserved * You may use, distribute and modify this code under the * terms of the XYZ license, which unfortunately won’t be * written for another century. * * You should have received a copy of the XYZ license with * this file.