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Copyright Help!!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:54 am
by kenle
Hi all,

I am currently partner with one of my friend to build a company. My role is to build a PHP web application for the them.

My question is, since I am the only one who wrote and developed the code, should the software be my copyright and not the company? Does the company allow to sell or redistribute it?

Any professional here has this experience explain this to me. I am new at this.

Thanks

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 10:27 am
by qads
depends on the company, just ask them :)

most of the time my clients don't care what i do with their project after i am done so i use the code around other projects.

if the company asks u not to sell/re-use the code then you may want to charge them extra.

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 10:53 am
by JayBird
I work for a design and advertising agency and technically, your client owns the artwork and code you create, but most of the time they either don't know or aren't fussed.

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 10:59 am
by jason
Well, you own the copyright, but probably so does the company, and they would have the right to resell. And it also depends on the contract (if any) you signed. Of course, IANAL.

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 4:20 pm
by evilMind
I am currently partner with one of my friend to build a company. My role is to build a PHP web application for the them.
*for them* meaning you are giving the ownership in the process.

This would be considered a "Work for hire"; thus, turning ownership rights over to the company. If you are doing this as a freelance position this might be a different story. However, from the sounds of it you work for them. Also, if you signed *any* paperwork stating that this was a "work for hire" then this would not be considered your code anymore either.

Please see http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ09.pdf for more information. If you do not have pdf software visit http://www.keytlaw.com/Copyrights/wfhire.htm.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:58 am
by JAM
evilMind is right.

I'm writing software to aid my co-workers. And everything I do there is company owned. For me, that is what it sais in the papers, basicly; "What the employee produces/manufactures or scrap..." (also note this, often missed) "...is in the propery of CompanyX."

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:56 am
by Saethyr
A guy I work with and I are building a web application for the Telecom company we work for. I signed a no compete and a contract stating everything I did for them is owned by them, but, I have secured permission to reuse code snippets and functions in my future applications, Most of the time if you just ask the company they could care less what you do so long as you do not sell or redistribute the whole program.

Saethyr

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:10 am
by McGruff
This might be worth a read: http://www.sitepoint.com/subcat/79