Copy Right Act_23

If an independent third party develops a program for a company, who owns the copyright?

Works created by third parties on commission do not automatically vest the copyright in the commissioning party. If the third party is an independent contractor, it is essential for the commissioning party to obtain the copyright through a written deed of assignment. It is a common misconception that the copyright automatically belongs to the commissioning party. Thus, it is only where the developer is an employee creating the work under a contract of service that the! Rights belong to the employer.

Copy Right Act_22

If an employee in a company develops a program, would this employee own the copyright?

No. In the case of a program made in the course of author's employment under a contract of service or apprenticeship, the employer shall, in the absence of any agreement to the contrary, be the first owner of the copyright.

Copy Right Act_21

If an employee in a company develops a program, would this employee own the copyright?

No. In the case of a program made in the course of author's employment under a contract of service or apprenticeship, the employer shall, in the absence of any agreement to the contrary, be the first owner of the copyright.

Copy Right Act_20

Is it necessary to deposit accompanying documents of the computer program for which copyright is being sought?

Documentation which normally accompanies the program is regarded as separate work and for this reason if the same has to be registered, it must be separately registered and not combined with the computer program in single application.

Copy Right Act_19

What is the term of a copyright?

a. If published within the life time of the author of a literary work the term is for the life time of the author plus 60 years.

b. For cinematography films, records, photographs, posthumous publications, anonymous' publication, works of government and international agencies the term is 60 years from the beginning of the calendar year following the year in which the work was published.

c. For broadcasting the term is 25 years from the beginning of the calendar year following the year, in which the broadcast was made.

Copy Right Act_18

What is the definition of a computer program?

Computer program means a set of instructions expressed in words, codes, schemes or any other form, including a machine readable medium, capable of causing a computer to perform a particular task or achieve a particular result.