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"Licensing" of Already Delivered Software?

Posted by Cliff on from the after-the-fact dept.

Matterama asks: "My partner and I are treading on thin ice. We delivered six microprocessor controllers with source code libraries to a customer, under a written agreement to negotiate the license for that code from us once they got it working with their system. That time is upon us, and we realize that we do not know how to go about this (yep, we're pathetic). They want to buy 1000 units, and we are not setup to be a Microsoft (nor do we want to be). If I'm going to get a good, simple answer that puts money in our pockets for our work, it will be here. Can Slashdot recommend solutions or sites with solutions?"

1 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Don't be so sure by JohnQPublic · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    When it comes to copyrights and licensing, the law is on your side to begin with. If you deliver 1000 units with your software, and no license, then they can use the software in the usual way, but they cannot redistribute, copy, etc., etc.

    If these guys have only one customer and no contract and have already turned over samples, they should watch out. The code might be deemed a "work for hire", especially if they took cash to produce the samples. If so, the copyright rests with the customer, not the programmers.

    Licenses and contracts aren't BS, they're a very basic part of business. If you don't like having written rules and paying lawyers to draft them, you shouldn't be trying to conduct business yourself. Just be someone else's wage slave and enjoy the freedom of not worrying how you're going to make payroll next week and whether you'll have to fire your friends because you screwed up.