Update #2: To Copyright APIs, or Not to Copyright, That is the Question

Don Miller

In November 2014, we posted a piece about the Oracle vs. Google case and the ongoing court battle over whether APIs can be copyrighted.  The eventual outcome of the case has potentially huge implications for not just the software industry, but for all organizations that use APIs to facilitate seamless communication between different software applications/programs.  We promised to keep all our MFT Nation readers updated on events in this case.  Well, there has been a development.

On Monday, the Supremes (a.k.a., the United States Supreme Court) issued an order inviting the U.S. solicitor general to submit a brief in the case “expressing the views of the United States.”  This is potentially significant because the Supremes usually take such action only in cases with important national implications.  The order does not necessarily mean the Supremes will decide to review the case, but it does show they recognize its importance.

Stay tuned to bTrade’s MFT Nation for future developments.