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The long awaited amendments to the Mexican Copyright Law were finally published in the official government bulletin of July 17, 1991, and went into effect August 17. The new amendments deal with rights protected under the Copyright Law. Of foremost importance among these rights is the issue of protection for computer programs.
Former rulings
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Copyright Bureau of the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) registered computer programs along with other works (literary, musical, etc.) under Article 7 of the Federal Copyright Law. Although not expressly covered in the legal provisions, the bureau granted registrations to computer programs during this period. It interpreted the law to include these programs under the broad concept of "other works" and so afforded them copyright protection.
This situation changed in the early 1980s and, since there was no express provision for them, the registration of computer programs was denied.
Efforts were made by users and business people, first, to educate Copyright Bureau's officials on the nature of computer programs and the manner in which they function; and second, to...