Developers’ side projects

Post by bjelkeman-again » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 9:32 PM UTC

ap22213 wrote: post #282

vinceguidry wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The way you handle this as a typical employee is to not work for dicks. That way when they see you being successful they cheer you on rather than try to bring you down. Also, you don't always have no leverage to negotiate contract terms. When I separated from my last job, my severance agreement as given to me included a 2 year gag clause keeping me from talking about it to anyone. I negotiated it down to six months,…

Just be careful. A company and its board isn't a person - it's a legal entity. The company exists solely to make profit. That's it. And, the company will do everything in its legal power to do so. It doesn't matter what the intent of the founders were, nor how nice your boss or even the current owners are. They are not the company. Plus, I've seen way too many nice people turn into 'dicks' when it came down to money.…

Post by dnt404-1 » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 9:41 PM UTC

bonoboTP wrote: post #298

chrisan wrote: post #291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And if the fight continues and you run out of money, what then? How does this work? I always hear the "sue you until you run out of money" type of bullying. Why do you need to pay lots of money for a lawyer if you are in the right? * I worked on my project at night: here is my git log * I worked on my personal laptop * Your business is automated cars and my side project is a T shirt sale website

Are you not American? It seems like legal costs in the US are sky high and people are constantly afraid of getting sued. I think it's somewhat better in mainland Europe, at least I don't see such anxiety over getting sued or so many threats of suing someone.

Post by bonoboTP » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 10:51 PM UTC

dnt404-1 wrote: post #363

bonoboTP wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you not American? It seems like legal costs in the US are sky high and people are constantly afraid of getting sued. I think it's somewhat better in mainland Europe, at least I don't see such anxiety over getting sued or so many threats of suing someone.

I am in Germany now. Can you tell me why this is not the case in mainland Europe? Is it much better in Europe to do side-project in lieu of the fear of getting sued?

Post by sctb » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 11:28 PM UTC

lerpa wrote: post #222

ChuckMcM wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was there I submitted three, every time they came back and said that they wouldn't sign off because it was related. The last one was an iOS only kitchen timer application. It was at that point I was was convinced that emailing legal to ask permission was a hack to get you to disclose early what you were working on so that when they sued you they already had some of the initial leg work done :-(. I consulted wi…

So you are paid to work a fixed number of hours, but in exchange they own you for the other hours you're not even there. And I thought only backwards people from the South enjoyed that line of "business".

Post by yongjik » Sun, Dec 11, 2016, 12:08 AM UTC

alkonaut wrote: post #323

brianwawok wrote: post #316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not in the US

That gives a larger/richer entity the power to use litigation as threat/bullying only by having deeper pockets. It means there is a legal advantage of having more money. That's insane. As I usually say re the US "How is THIS not an issue in the election?" If I was reasonably sure I had the law on my side I'd dare go to court against an entity of any size, relying on the convention that the loser pays, and the rulings…