| Software component copyright and design protection
is handled in much the same way that hardware component copyright
and design protection is handled . When a company designs a hardware
circuit it owns the copyright of the hardware circuit but does not
own the copyright of the design within the individual chips . The
boundaries between various parts of a software program are , however
, more blurred and as such a usage agreement and associated usage
license is required . The Usage Agreement must be signed before purchase
of the usage license . The usage license allows the use of the software
by the client and by their customers . |