Do patent, trademark and copyright laws apply to computers and related activities?
Yes. The statutory and common law schemes for the protection and enforcement of the rights of authors, inventors and businesses - established under the respective laws for patent, trademark and copyright - all apply to computers and related activities. In fact, because computers greatly increase the value of "pure ideas", these laws are more prominent than ever. Not more important; just that much more likely to affect us all, and much more directly.