Beta-Testers and Intellectual Property?

cozimek asks: "I've got a question I'm sure many other Slashdot users have dealt with. My startup has been starting programming development with testing from our beta-clients. One of these clients, however, has begun discussing intellectual property rights. They believe that they deserve rights to parts of our software because they have helped give us advice through the development process. We think we own it all, and that they should be happy to have our services, tailored to their needs, for free. Has anyone dealt with these issues? Has anyone created a beta-tester contract?" As with all such issues, the devil is in the details...particularly the contractual ones. If you've had such issues before, from either side, please let us know how things turned out.

Comments

Re:In the good ol days

[frank_adrian314159]

Microsoft provided free product to their beta testers. You did not have to pay to become one.

Au contraire, mon frere. You pay in your time and effort. More importantly and sadly, you pay in self-respect.

There's a reason for the saying: "Friends don't let friends install Microsoft software." Once you start down the path of the dark side, forever will it keep you...