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Microsoft Rewarding Employees Who Phone It In

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the have-a-couple-bucks dept.

theodp writes "For developers who are all about the Benjamins, Microsoft has come up with an intriguing alternative to Google's vaunted 20% time. To boost the number of Windows Phone 7 apps, Microsoft has relaxed a strict rule and will let employees moonlight and keep the resulting intellectual property and 70% of the revenue, as long as that second job is writing apps for WP7-based devices. The rule change offers an option for employees who don't want to leave for the insecurity of a start-up, but still want a shot at recognition and rewards for their own ideas."

8 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. Wow! by beaviz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Microsoft has relaxed a strict rule and will let employees moonlight and keep the resulting intellectual property

    A company letting their employees do what the want in their own free time. They deserve the Nobel peace price!

    Seriously, is it common (in the states) to "own" your employees even when they are not at work?

    1. Re:Wow! by mfh · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Seriously, is it common (in the states) to "own" your employees even when they are not at work?

      You would be surprised, but yes it is very common for companies to claim IP over things created even when an employee is doing them on their own free time. Companies argue that exposure to their policies arguably enabled the person to create the product, service or technology... which is wrong in my opinion but it still happens. I think that if you work for a company and there aren't explicit agreements in place you are protected in most states but you should definitely check first before starting up something awesome.

      This is bad for all of us because it slows down the invention of new things to the angular flow rate of cold molasses.

      --
      The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
    2. Re:Wow! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I had to look into this when my previous employer wanted to change the contracts.

      Basically they added a catch all, anything you think or do belongs to us (first borns included). So if you are programmer but come up with a new clothes line peg they own the IP.

      The actual law is actually more sensible, if you come up with something you'd be expected to do in your job the company owns the IP, otherwise you do. For instance as a programmer if I come up with a new piece of software the company could argue it is their IP, but if I make and sell some artwork I own it.

      All been said it is a bit of a grey area and getting it tested in court would be expensive for any normal person.

      Captcha:Stolen :)

    3. Re:Wow! by magical+liopleurodon · · Score: 5, Informative

      1)They find reading legal documents difficult
      2)They really want a job,and so are will to sacrifice for it,
      3) They aren't all that creative and don't have enough free time at home anyways.

      1) It's pretty obvious that you're signing your soul away. I signed one of these myself, but they're not valid in Minnesota. A number of states don't allow this. California is another one where even if you sign something like this, it cannot be enforced.

      And people actually sign this shit, that is the problem. It works against you because if you don't sign it, they throw you out. If EVERYONE refuses to sign it, the company is the one who is fucked.

      So many companies do this. If you're not in a state where it's unenforceable, the only leverage you have is starting your own company. Which I encourage, and when you all do do that, don't make your employees sign contracts like this.

    4. Re:Wow! by Znork · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The new policies rally the MS troops with deepest access to WP7 source with incentive to develop specifically for the platform.

      Ah, yes, the incentive of taking 30% of the profit the employee makes on his own time. What's next, encouraging employee stock ownership by only requiring 30% repayment to the company of any profits (excepted upper management of course)?

      The humorous part is that management probably thinks employees should be grateful for such incentive, while it will only serve to educate the employees that their contracts shaft them, reducing morale and certainly not creating a desire to work for free in their spare time.

      Microsoft seems more out of touch every year, and this certainly won't help windows mobile. Poor Nokia.

    5. Re:Wow! by VertigoAce · · Score: 5, Informative

      The 30% is the cut that Microsoft takes from every app on the WP7 marketplace (same as Apple does with their app store). Employees get the same 70% that third party developers get.

      The people I work with had the opposite reaction from what you suggest. The policy removed the uncertainty around moonlighting in this case and encouraged people to start developing apps. I don't think this would have been against policy in any case, but most employees aren't going to spend the time talking to their manager, legal, and HR just to get approval to release a $0.99 app.

  2. sounds generous, until by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You rephrase it the other way: "Go ahead and start a business in your free time, as long as you're getting all your work done here including meeting time and face time. Oh, but that business has to be for Windows Phone 7 apps, and we'll take 30 percent."

  3. 20% time? Not really by adenied · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Someone from Google can correct me if I'm really wrong here, but I've asked a number of Google developers if they really get to use their 20% time. The general answers have been either "Yeah right. Hardly anyone does." to "Sure! I can use 20% of the 60-70 hours a week I regularly am at the campus on whatever I want."

    Not sure if that's really what people think about when they hear about the 20% time philosophy. Seems like it's more of a marketing / recruiting thing.