Intellectual property rights are very important in modern society. There are many types of intellectual property rights. The more common ones are copyrights, patents, etc. Computer software is a type of intellectual property rights and is also protected by law. So what is the scope of computer software protection? What is the scope of protection for computer software? 1. What is the scope of protection for computer software? 1. Computer program: refers to a sequence of coded instructions that can be executed by a device with information processing capabilities such as a computer in order to obtain a certain result, or that can A sequence of symbolic instructions or a sequence of symbolic statements that is automatically converted into a sequence of coded instructions. The source program and object program of the same computer program are the same work. 2. Documentation: It is textual information and charts used to describe the content, composition, design, functional specifications, development status, test results and usage methods of the program. Such as programming instructions, flow charts, user manuals, etc. 3. Computer software copyright owner. A natural person, legal person or other organization that enjoys copyright to the software. 4. The protection of computer software copyright does not extend to the ideas, processing procedures, operating methods or mathematical concepts used in developing the software. 2. What are the restrictions on software copyright? Copyright law usually imposes certain restrictions on the rights of copyright owners to balance the partial interests of the copyright owners and the overall interests of society. The main restrictions on software copyright in my country are: 1. Time limit: The protection period of software developers’ developer identity rights is not limited. The protection period for other rights of software copyright is 25 years, ending on December 31 of the 25th year after the software is first published. Before the expiration of the protection period, the software copyright owner can apply to the software registration authority for an extension of 25 years, but the protection period is the longest No more than 50 years. When the copyright owner is legally changed due to legal actions such as inheritance or unit division or merger, the protection period of the corresponding software copyright will not be changed. When relevant rights are transferred due to the signing of a right-to-use or use-right licensing contract in accordance with the law, the occurrence of the transfer activity does not change the protection period of the relevant software copyright. When the unit that owns the software copyright terminates or the citizen who owns the software copyright dies without a legal successor, except for the developer's identity rights, all other rights related to the software enter the public domain before the expiration of the protection period. 2. During the protection period, small amounts of software may be copied for non-commercial purposes such as classroom teaching, scientific research, or the performance of official duties by state agencies, without the consent of the software copyright owner, and without payment of remuneration to the software copyright owner. 3. Software copyright owners shall not harm public interests or violate other laws. 4. The legal holder of a software copy may, without the consent of the software copyright owner, install the software into a computer according to the needs of use, make a backup copy, and make necessary modifications, etc.