[comp.edu] Software Theft and Protection

moreaux@groucho (06/01/90)

I am in need of reference material and/or information
concerning the area of software protection and theft. My
interest is concentrated on the technical, rather than the
legal issues. As part of my graduate work, I am planning to
devise some method of establishing ownership of code through
the use of style, metrics, complexity, embedded code, etc. as
fingerprinting type of technique. If such a beast is possible,
it will provide a springboard toward legally defining code
ownership. I am told that todays cases depend heavily on expert
witness testimony in the absence of any other option.   

My resources here are limited. I am not even certain as to what
may or may not be available in the literature. Any suggestions,
information, resources, references, etc.
even remotely connected, would be appreciated.

Thank you.

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/                                            \
/   Don Moreaux                              \
/   Department of Computer Science           \
/   College of Engineering                   \
/   University of Idaho                      \
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