Developers of distinctive designs and trade dress are often uncertain about what protection is available to them, partly because this question falls within a complex legal field in which competing interests ג€“ the rights of the developer against those of the general public, which requires a high degree of free competition ג€“ play a role in the evolution of legal doctrines. Courts are constantly struggling to balance those two interests, which in the past has resulted in contrasting rulings and principles. The issue is complicated further by the different approaches taken by legislatures and courts in different countries, which can lead to small but important nuances in the application of the law.