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Ask HN: Should I be concerned about using company's computer for side projects?

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Ask HN: Should I be concerned about using company's computer for side projects?

#1

Post by dmragone »

I'm working on a few side projects with the intention of launching them as small businesses that will hopefully generate some cash flow. The long-term plan is to get enough of these (or as few as one doing well enough) that I can bootstrap a small operation, so that I can start my thing without having to take a serious drop in cashflow from quitting my job.

My concern is whether it's safe to work on my company's computer while at home. I work for a San Francisco start-up. Will they claim ownership over the work I've been doing outside of work just because it's on their computer? It doesn't conflict in business area in the least, but I'd rather go buy a separate computer if there's a serious concern about claims of ownership or potential for getting sued.

Re: Ask HN: Should I be concerned about using company's computer for side projects?

#2

Post by dudul »

Yes. If you use company provided resources to create Foo, Foo belongs to the company. Same if you do it during company time, or while in the office.

Plus, depending on your state law, they may own stuff you do on your spare time if you don't have a document listing projects that belong to you.

Edit: I'm not a lawyer, rules depend on state law, you should ask one specialized in your state of residence.

Re: Ask HN: Should I be concerned about using company's computer for side projects?

#3

Post by detaro »

Don't use a work computer for it, except if you have clear permission to do so in writing, from someone you are sure is able to grant you that permission. And even then only if you have to.

If money is an issue, grab a refurb thinkpad, or a chromebook, or something else cheap and work on that. If you even once have to talk to a lawyer for an hour to resolve the issue otherwise, that's already the cheaper option.

Re: Ask HN: Should I be concerned about using company's computer for side projects?

#6

Post by kafkaesq »

Should you be concerned? Yes, absolutely.

Just don't do it, period. And forget the whole idea, please.

Back a few decades ago, when resources were 1000x as expensive as they are now, one might have entertained the thought of using one's work computer for personal and/or side business projects on the sly (and a great many people did, in fact). Resources at any significant scale, or desktop setups for visualization of any kind (even just high-res images -- forget about video!) were basically unobtainable for regular people. Compilers, IDEs, documentation -- that used to all cost serious money (and shelf space).

But these days? Your laptop (which would blow away anything in existence 20 years ago) costs as much as a moderately expensive car repair. And hosting + computational resources are as cheap as water. Languages are so powerful that your main challenge isn't creating stuff -- it's creating in away that's maintainable for your, and understandable to others.

So aside from the ethical aspects of mooching off one's employer, there's just no upside to it. In fact you might want to ask yourself why you're even thinking of this route -- are you, internally, basically expecting to fail? Do you really think you can't bootstrap yourself through this project, like many thousands of others like you (including many far less skilled) -- in this, the very dawn of the age of ubiquitous, nearly zero-cost computing?

Re: Ask HN: Should I be concerned about using company's computer for side projects?

#7

Post by 0942v8653 »

ramon wrote: post #5

they can make copies of your software whenever they want, it's their hardware. They can block specific software from running, etc. Their hardware, their policies. It's certainly not your rules. Buy a Notebook!

Hmm, does this extend to the Internet connection? Would using a work wifi for your side project mean they can claim to own it? What about public wifi? In order to keep your project safe, do you have to get a cellular connection and VPN into your home network?

Re: Ask HN: Should I be concerned about using company's computer for side projects?

#8

Post by MalcolmDiggs »

Legal issues aside, I'd think of it this way:

If you walked in to work tomorrow and got fired on the spot ("Give me your laptop and leave the building"), would you be comfortable just handing over your machine, then turning around and walking away? If not, that's a problem. It's a problem for you, and a problem for your employer.

Best to keep things as separate as they can be.

Re: Ask HN: Should I be concerned about using company's computer for side projects?

#9

Post by informatimago »

0942v8653 wrote: post #7
ramon wrote: post #5

they can make copies of your software whenever they want, it's their hardware. They can block specific software from running, etc. Their hardware, their policies. It's certainly not your rules. Buy a Notebook!

Hmm, does this extend to the Internet connection? Would using a work wifi for your side project mean they can claim to own it? What about public wifi? In order to keep your project safe, do you have to get a cellular connection and VPN into your home network?

If they can prove that the traffic generated concerned that development, certainly.

Better use a good encryption, and be sure the metadata doesn't provide them with that proof.

Just use your own cellular, if you need to exchange personnal data from work!

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