04 Jun 2004
Careless coders tempting legal troubles?

I have always made sure, before I accepted any programming position, that I have the written approval of management to take code snippets with me when I leave. Often I've got the right to take whole programs - as long as I don't release them as a competing product. Otherwise, I simply won't take the job. Why should I be continually forced to re-invent the wheel?

The other thing that bothers me about this is that it seems to apply only to "intellectual property". If I learn to operate a particular piece of machinery on a job, and I supposed to forget how to run it on my next one? If I'm a chef and I discover (in my employer's kitchen) that olive oil gives a better flavor than butter in fried cicadas, must I forget that on my next job? Can I even fry cicadas at home in olive oil without "infringing"? What if I just modify the recipie to fried dung beetles? Is that not "code borrowing"?

Most software developers regard "code-borrowing"--reusing existing software in their own work--as an acceptable practice, despite the legal minefield it could create for their employers, according to research due to be published later this week.

(link) [CNET News.com]

00:00 /Copywrongs | 2 comments | permanent link