Original Works of Authorship
Open source software always starts with one or more original authors and their original works of authorship. Copyright law describes an original work in the following broad terms:
Copyright protection subsists ... in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.... (17 U.S.C. § 102.)
Understanding this statute may be easier if you initially broaden your perspective beyond computer software. An original work of authorship can be many things, including literary works; musical works; dramatic works; pantomimes and chor-eographic works; ...
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