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[noman waseem]

Intellectual Property: Copyrights, Trademarks & Patents


Salam aleikum,

I am a web developer and designed a website for my father's business. During the development process, I ended up creating something that I think could be potentially useful in developing websites. When I was looking to turn it into a web application, I came across the world of copyrights, trademarks and patents. I had no idea what any of these things are and now only have a very general understanding. My cousin is telling me to patent the idea and I was thinking of getting a trademark for the name of the web application.

As I read more about what these things are and what they do, I'm beginning to have doubts and am not sure how they coincide with Quranic teachings. The most blatant problem that I found was with patents. If I patent the idea, then apparently no one will be able to create a similar web application providing a similar service to its users. This is obviously what helped Bill Gates and others to become the tyrant that they are.

If I trademark the name of the web application, the only result I can see is placing a pointless limit on discourse. And if I get a copyright for the web application, then apparently no one will be able to copy any of the code or content on my site and use it for their own purposes. The only result I can see for this is pointlessly hoarding knowledge from others.

In general, I would like to question here the whole western concept of intellectual property rights. Should I even bother with any thing related to trademarks, copyrights and/or patents or should I just make the web application and let everyone copy what they wish, call it what they wish, and make what ever profit from it that they wish? As I said I have a limited understanding on this subject, so pardon me for anything that was said out of ignorance.

Thank you for your time
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Noman Waseem