Answer:
Companies may use a trade secret instead of copyright protection because:
- **Trade secrets do not have a finite duration like copyrights, which expire after a certain period.**
- **Trade secrets provide indefinite protection as long as the information remains confidential.**
- **Trade secrets can protect a wider range of information beyond what copyright laws cover.**
- **Trade secrets do not require public disclosure, unlike copyrighted works.**
- **Trade secrets offer stronger protection against independent discovery or reverse engineering compared to copyrights.**
