244

I'm creating a few closed-source applications on my own (no big company behind me) and am wondering exactly how to protect them. At the top of all the source code files I have this pretty basic copyright notice:

/*******************************************************
 * Copyright (C) 2010-2011 {name} <{email}>
 * 
 * This file is part of {project}.
 * 
 * {project} can not be copied and/or distributed without the express
 * permission of {name}
 *******************************************************/

However I'm really starting to think that's not enough. Without the money to get a lawyer, I'm interested in any closed-source license that essentially says "You can use it, and that's it". Finding one has been extremely difficult as I can only find open source license comparisons or "Find a lawyer" answers.

Is there any closed-source license that I can use that says something similar to this?

M.Sameer
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TheLQ
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2 Answers2

218

Something like this is adequate, depending on where you live:

/* Copyright (C) YoYoDyne Systems, Inc - All Rights Reserved
 * Unauthorized copying of this file, via any medium is strictly prohibited
 * Proprietary and confidential
 * Written by Elmer Fudd <efudd@yoyodyne.com>, September 1943
 */

(2016 update: The phrase "All Rights Reserved" used to be required in some nations but is now not legally needed most places. In some countries it may help preserve some of the "moral rights.")

This means you can't:

  • Copy the file
  • Print the file out, scan it and copy the image
  • Print the file out, take pictures of it and distribute the film
  • etc ...

However, take care to note that in some countries, there is no such thing as copyright. This is also completely in addition to a strong license that you ship with your product, which should go into greater detail.

These sort of 'license headers' are designed simply to alert someone who happens upon a file that they should not distribute it.

We use something very much like that in stuff that we have that needs to stay behind closed doors. For instance, it alerts someone to not post functions on Stack Overflow.

Someone who p0wns your dev server to get your code probably isn't going to pay attention to it, however. Note, again, what you're describing is NOT a license, it's a per file assertion of copyright and specifically stating that the code is proprietary.

Glorfindel
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14

As per the related question on SO, this Creative Commons license looks relevant to you:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

[Note I originally mentioned the SO question as a comment above, but I'm adding as an answer to give it a bit more visibility, as it pretty much does answer your question]

Community
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Steve
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