UI copyrights

[onerrorgoto]

Hi
Is there something like User Interface Copyrights?

The reason I ask is becasue I saw an ad for a small(expensive) AddIn for VB and I thought, Hey I can make one like that and give it away for free. It might even be better than theirs

But the User Interface they had on their AddIn was so good, that I dont know if I can make my own UI without making it look similar to their UI.

Is it legal to copy/mimic a UI and make an app that does essentially the same thing as an existing app and then distribute it?

I mean, it my code behind it when I make it.

Just curious

[agent]

Now, I'm not a lawyer, so don't take this as legal advice, but I don't think that a User Interface can be copyrighted. Microsoft went through hell and back with Apple when they invented Windows. So, in my opinion, go for it.

[Sam Finch]

You Should Be Able To, Just Change the User Interface slightly, don't have all the Same Buttons in all The Same Places, Try to do something original with it. It's Their job to Relese a Version 2 wich is better than anyone who's copied it. If you make an exact copy that's probably illegal, but modeling your interface on theirs, that's fine.

[onerrorgoto]

Thank you for your repleis.

Now I can start developing my killler AddIn without any fear of being sued by anybody *lol*

Whenever its done I will try to find a way of distribute it so that anyone can use it.