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Ask Slashdot: How To Own the Rights To Software Developed At Work?
New submitter ToneyTime writes: I'm a young developer building custom add-ins for my company's chosen SAAS platform as a full time staff member. The platform supports a developer community to share code and plug-ins with an option to sell the code. While I don't plan on having a breakthrough app, I am interested in sharing the solutions I create, hopefully with the potential of selling. All solutions are created and made by me for business needs, and I aim to keep any company's specific data out. I have a good relationship with management and can develop on my own personal instance of the platform, but would be doing so on company time. Going contractor is a bit premature for me at this stage. Any advice, references or stories to learn from?
Its got to be a millenial..
While you still know everything!
Never answer an anonymous letter. - Yogi Berra
Well, Young Developer.
You're going to have to understand the term "work for hire" -- which basically means in most cases when you work for a company and do stuff for them, they own it, and not you.
You might be exceedingly lucky and find an employer who will sign off on that.
But for the most part, your employer doesn't give a fuck about what Young Developers want in terms of ownership of code.
Why would a corporation be paying you to develop stuff for them that you're going to turn around and sell to other people.
Only someone young and new to the industry would be so self entitled as to ask what you're demanding. Because the laws surrounding "work for hire" have been around for decades ... and they won't change just because you deem yourself special.
Most companies will tell you to piss off if you suggest that.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
cumputers
don't forget the moanitors!
lucm, indeed.