IIC Interactive Seminar: Intellectual Property Protection for Software

Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Location: 60 Oxford Street, Room 311

Note: Advance registration is requested. To register, please click here.

Abstract:
Scientists and engineers who are developing new software tools face a range of issues and options as they prepare to release their work to the community. The commercial value of much academic and research software may not be immediately apparent. Nevertheless it represents a form of intellectual property that should be protected with mechanisms that protect the creator's rights and encourage the highest and best use of the software. The IIC presents this workshop-style seminar to inform discussions of these issues within the research community.

Our presenter, Keith Bostic, is a veteran developer whose experience includes founding an Open Source software startup. He will open the seminar with a 30-minute introduction to methods of protecting the intellectual property embodied in software.

Keith's introduction will be followed by discussion of general topics including:

• An introduction to copyrights, patents, trade secrets and trademarks
• The applicability of intellectual property protection to software
• The advantages and disadvantages of Open Source licensing

Participants are welcome to submit or pose additional discussion questions. Among those attending will be a representative of Harvard's Office of Technology Development.

The workshop format will be as follows:

• 3:00 Introduction
• 3:10-3:40 Opening presentation
• 3:40-4:00 Questions
• 4:00-4:05 Break
• 4:05-4:50 Moderated discussion of general and specific issues
• 4:50-5:00 Wrap-up