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Hypothetical Scenario:
Lets say that, I need to find a way to delete an image from a list of images in a Java program. I go online to learn how to delete an image programmatically, and as I am searching the web on how to do this, I notice that multiple websites (non affiliated with each other) are teaching a very similar way to do this exact thing.
What should I assume is the copyrightability of such code being presented on these websites?
It has been held that
if there is only one way to express the idea in software, that one implementation is not protected ... If an implementation must be done in a particular way, there is no room for creativity, which means the implementation is not protected by copyright.
But that source goes on to note that
[t]his is rare; even with trivial programs like "Hello, world" a programmer can usually choose equivalent instructions to print the text, or to start and stop the program.
Moreover, that doctrine is not well-established everywhere. So even if you were to conclude that you see that code snippet everywhere because it's the only way to delete an image from a list in Java, you're treading on shaky ground reusing it under such terms. It's not indefensible, but I'd hesitate to rely on it myself.
