Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
kamigawa.posterous.com
Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
1–10 of 15 posts
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#2This seems mostly like a way to avoid creating evidence more than a way to avoid the legal problems of working on a side project at your employer.
Is the law simply that you cannot use your employers resources such as computer and internet connection to create your side company, or does the law state that you cannot also use time your employer thinks is theirs for your side project?
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#3This seems mostly like a way to avoid creating evidence more than a way to avoid the legal problems of working on a side project at your employer. Is the law simply that you cannot use your employers resources such as computer and internet connection to create your side company, or does the law state that you cannot also use time your employer thinks is theirs for your side project?
This is usually a matter of your employment contract, the laws on this vary from place to place and at least one person has been successfully sued for having an idea on company time.
My thoughts on this boil down to two simple rules:
1. don't work for assholes
2. Don't do something you would object to if done to you.
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#4What I always find to be so frustrating is that I see co-workers doing non-work related things with the company's resources all the time: long personal telephone conversations, online shopping, reading sports or politics-related content on the internet (especially fantasy sport pools).
Oftentimes, the boss is aware of this and doesn't seem to mind. The people who do this are not the most skilled employees either. Yet, if I want to spend my "downtime" learning new technologies (which could actually help me do my work better), I feel like I have to hide it.
It would be nice if you could work on your own projects at work in the open as long as you weren't accessing internal company servers. I'd even be willing to bring my laptop in and connect it to the external-only wireless network if the company required that. When I can't improve my skills while at work, I feel that I'm wasting my time.
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#5If you find yourself needing to do these things at work, you need to find a new job. The relationship between you and your boss should be mutually beneficial. Skulking around at work having to hide things from your employer means you have the wrong job. Quit.
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#6What I always find to be so frustrating is that I see co-workers doing non-work related things with the company's resources all the time: long personal telephone conversations, online shopping, reading sports or politics-related content on the internet (especially fantasy sport pools). Oftentimes, the boss is aware of this and doesn't seem to mind. The people who do this are not the most skilled employees either. Yet…
"It would be nice if you could work on your own projects at work in the open as long as you weren't accessing internal company servers."
That sounds like a job description for working at home as a freelancer or remote employee.
On the internet, nobody can tell if you're an entrepreneur.
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#7Well, that's unethical. How would you feel if you had employees who were doing such things while you paid them?
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#8This article has to be a joke. Assuming you have a modern contract (non-compete, IP assignment), working on your startup at work is stealing from your employer. Doing a better job hiding your tracks doesn't make it right (or legal). If you are found out, you could lose ownership of all that work.
If you're going to work on a startup while employed elsewhere, you need better separation than this. Do your day job competently and quickly, then go elsewhere to work on your startup. Get up early, do your startup stuff, then get to work at an acceptable time. Or do it in the evening. But trying to mix the two while at your employer's office is a recipe for disaster.
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#9This seems mostly like a way to avoid creating evidence more than a way to avoid the legal problems of working on a side project at your employer. Is the law simply that you cannot use your employers resources such as computer and internet connection to create your side company, or does the law state that you cannot also use time your employer thinks is theirs for your side project?
This is usually a matter of your employment contract, the laws on this vary from place to place and at least one person has been successfully sued for having an idea on company time. My thoughts on this boil down to two simple rules: 1. don't work for assholes 2. Don't do something you would object to if done to you.
Yes, it is particular to the contract and state laws. Most decent contracts state the employee will "dedicate appropriate time and effort to completing assigned tasks". Of course this is vague, but putting in 10 hours a week is a sure way to get fired. If it turns out you were spending 30 hours a week on your startup at the same time (and depending on other company resources used, etc.), your startup work may not be owned by you.
Most likely, you'll just be fired for non-performance but depending on the circumstances, your employer could sue for ownership. This would especially be the case if you went from Microsoft to Google or something similar.
Re: Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder
#10#2 - Write down ideas so that you don't forget them.
Wow, truly great stuff.