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Who Owns Source Code When a Company Folds?
pipeb0mb asks: "A few years ago, I worked for Chilliware, Inc. as the 'Technical Development Manager'. Some of you may remember us for the software iceSculptor, Mohawk and Mentor. Chilliware folded rather quickly and harshly back in May of 2001 due to money issues. Within days of the first layoff, everyone was gone, from the CEO and VP's to the receptionist. Now, years later, I've been digging through some old CDs, and am reminded that I still have the final production source code for the products we released in the retail channel. I've attempted to contact several folks over the past couple of years to gather information about the software and who owns it now. To no avail though. Either I get an 'I don't know' or 'No one' from the dis-interested parties. I feel like these programs are my children that never got a fair shot. I hate to see so much work wasted and lost to the ages. So, Slashdot: What do I do with this source code? It's a great deal of well commented and well written code, performed by over 100 developers in a former Soviet Republic (who formerly worked with Boomerang Software). Where do my binary children go now?" As things are now, if a company folds, the code is buried and forgotten unless someone buys the rights to it, before the source code is lost. This issue was discussed a long time ago and there didn't seem to be much in the way of answers. Have 3 years made any difference?
When a company goes BK, the creditors own everything and either divide the spoils or it gets liquidated at auction. Most likely someone bought the rights to the software for pennies on the dollar. You will need to check the records at the federal or state BK court where the action was filed. Since there may be service fees involved to search online, you may have to visit the court and search yourself.
I'm not suggesting this is cost-effective, but maybe it would pay to consult with an intellectual property lawyer? It's a cop-out answer, I know. But assets are normally liquidated from dead companies by the last holder of the company. Maybe it's a trivial venture to purchase the rights (via a foundation, new or existing) to the now-deceased company from the former owners? Someone has to still be holding the bag... even a VC.
Amateurs discuss tactics. Professionals discuss logistics.
Actually, there is some benefit to asking for this kind of advice - but not to determine the course of action. Rather, for getting an idea of what's possible before seeing your lawyer.
If I were to get divorced (I'm not even married), I'd be talking to my divorced friends to find out what I can expect on the legal front - not because they're legal experts, but because they have experience dealing with my situation. They might be able to help steer me away from bad advice, or help me know what questions I need to ask.
I definitely wouldn't "ask Slashdot" when I've been caught with 40g of cocaine and a 12 year old prostitute in my car. But it is perfectly germane and sensible to ask a bunch of coders about their experience and advice in a situation dealing with writing software and the legal ownership of that software.
That's a one-way ticket to jail. If he has those disks unknowingly, it's a potential oversight. However, if he 1) finds them, and 2) contacts the rightful owner, he's obligated to return them immediately. I suspect they'll record the conversation, and no judge/jury on earth will go for the old "I lost them" routine. Well, maybe the OJ jury.
Remember, his copy is legal under fair use (backup copies made while employed)
The hell! He doesn't have a license to anything he used as an employee. When he quits (or is fired, or laid off) his rights to use company property ceases. I've seen the fair use law, and it ain't that. If MS fires me, can I do whatever I want with a Windows CVS, like develop it into another product? Uh, no. That isn't fair use.
and the only thing the owners can do is compel him to destroy it. They can't compel him to give the code back - he doesn't have a relationship with them anymore.
Legally they sure as hell can. He has their property. Period. They can't threaten to fire him, but he can go to jail.
-Looking for a job as a materials chemist or multivariat
and it is this: It depends.
I can fantasize all sorts of facts completely consistent with your story that would result in dramatically different answers. It just depends.
It depends on who owned the assets before the financial worries (determining clearance and ownership of any work is not always a trivial matter; who wrote the code, were they contractors or consultants, if contractors, what do the work for hire agreements say, how about other ip, what was it derived from, any third party incorporated codes, etc).
It depends on the structure of the company. Corporation, partnership, llp.
It depends how it shut down. Was it liquidated, with assets distributed? Bankruptcy.
It depends upon the agreements of everybody who worked on the software, and whether there were provisions that dealt with whatever eventualities occurred.
It depends upon the nation and, sometimes, the state in which these events occurred.
It depends.
Only a lawyer can ask the questions, determine all the issues and answer them, if an answer is available.
Anybody who pretends otherwise is lying to you.
salvage (s?l?v?j)Pronunciation Key
n.
1.
a. The rescue of a ship, its crew, or its cargo from fire or
shipwreck.
b. The ship, crew, or cargo so rescued.
c. Compensation given to those who voluntarily aid in
such a rescue.
2.
a. The act of saving imperiled property from loss.
b. The property so saved.
3. Something saved from destruction or waste and put to
further use.
The concept of salvage is a long established part of
maritime law, because it was recognized that there
was no benefit to protecting ownership rights of
property that the rightful "owners" could not secure.
Allowing somebody else to rescue the property would
be a benefit to society as a whole that outweighed the
theoretical loss to the "rightful" property owner.
Some definition of "abandoned" software really needs
to be developed. The only thing that is different about
this type of "shipwreck" is that the losses are less
visible.
Creditors should have first claim, but when they have
no capacity or desire to do anything with the code
then there really should be a mechanism to allow
it to fall into the public domain.
Contacting the CEO or VP may not be enough. Did the company have shareholders? If so, they own it. Did the company leave any debt? There may be a line of people trying to collect, any assets, including code, are theirs.
"Microsoft has made computing accessible to a population who would otherwise not be able to use computers" - B. Kernigha