[aklug] Re: Question: open source and the workplace

On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 11:32:59AM -0800, Christopher Howard wrote:
> Hello. I was wondering about something...
> I'm something of a beginning programmer -- mostly Perl and C++ so far.
> I'm also a big fan of open-source. I despise software patents and would
> prefer (in a perfect, ideal world) that every thing that I ever coded
> was open-source.
>
> I applied for this entry-level programming job recently. Its mainly
> database/web programming and software testing, for an educational
> institution. However, the job posting didn't say anything about licensing.
>
> What I was wondering is, in a real world environment, how do those
> licensing issues work? That is, when a programmer comes onto a job
> site, does the employer automatically have the final say in all matters
> of licensing? I suppose that, if one is building on a proprietary
> package, than the new code is proprietary. But say that your boss asks
> you to design a new web-site or processing script. Does the license to
> the code automatically belong to him, or just the implementation of it?
>
> I was hoping that someone on this list had experience with the issue, or
> had read something about it.
>

     Usually, if you build it on their dime it belongs to them.

     Some employment contracts may also state that *any* code you
     write while employed by them belongs to them (you may have
     learned the techniques/had access to certain technologies
     on their dime).

     You can always ask for this to be spelled out ...

Rgds,

--
Mike Bishop 
Willow, Alaska
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