Step 1

Make sure your work is a literary work. There are two types of works software developers can register. The first type of registerable work is Computer Programs. The US Copyright Office defines a Computer Program as ‚“a set of statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result. ‚½ Copyright protection extends to all the copyrightable expression embodied in the computer program. Copyright protection is not available for ideas, program logic, algorithms, systems, methods , concepts, or layouts.

The second type of registerable work is a Database. US Copyright Law does not specifically enumerate Databases as a copyrightable work. However, legislative history indicates Congress considers computer databases and compilations of data ‚“literary works ‚½ and are subject to copyright protection. Databases can be considered copyrightable because they are ‚“ formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials that are arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship. ‚½