Reverse Engineering of Computer Programs - Rethinking its Prohibition

Abstract:     
[I]t is crucial for the development of the software industry here to appreciate the extent to which it is allowed by the Singapore Copyright Act 1987 to engage in reverse engineering of computer programs first published in the US or created by American citizens or residents, since such computer programs enjoy copyright protection in Singapore. The aim of this article is to examine the approaches taken by the American courts and by the English legislature and their courts in their attempts to resolve the issue, and then move in closer home to look at the present position of Singapore on decompilation of computer programs. During this exercise, the author hopes to show that the copyright regime can be utilised to promote innovation in the software industry without unduly stifling competition. . . .

Keywords: Intellectual property, copyright, decompilation, reverse engineering, computer software, computer programs, Singapore

JEL Classification: K11, K13, K19

Accepted Paper Series