Plagarism

[WageSlave]

Serious question....

I've developed a solution for a client comprising a series of unique and innovate models (etc.). The client is suitably impressed with the work. So much so that a fellow contractor wants to copy the work and use it as his own material with other clients. Unfortunately there is no way that I can restrict access to this material.

Any useful suggestions? The world of public sector contracting is surprisingly small, and I'm worried about bumping into my own material at a future client (where someone else has already claimed the credit). Anyone else experience a similar problem?

 

[ALM]

Wage,

If you don't mind me asking, who is that in your avatar?

 

[Lucifer Box]

Serious question....

I've developed a solution for a client comprising a series of unique and innovate models (etc.). The client is suitably impressed with the work. So much so that a fellow contractor wants to copy the work and use it as his own material with other clients. Unfortunately there is no way that I can restrict access to this material.

Any useful suggestions? The world of public sector contracting is surprisingly small, and I'm worried about bumping into my own material at a future client (where someone else has already claimed the credit). Anyone else experience a similar problem?

First of all, you need to check the T&Cs of your contract as regards who owns the IP in your work. If it is your client, refer your fellow contractor to your client's legal department - it's, after all, nothing to do with you. If it's you, it's up to you to cut a deal with the guy or threaten to sue him if he plagiarises your work without your permission.

 

[WageSlave]

Wage,

If you don't mind me asking, who is that in your avatar?

ALM, it's Andrey Tarkovsky, a great Russian film-maker.

 

[WageSlave]

First of all, you need to check the T&Cs of your contract as regards who owns the IP in your work. If it is your client, refer your fellow contractor to your client's legal department - it's, after all, nothing to do with you. If it's you, it's up to you to cut a deal with the guy or threaten to sue him if he plagiarises your work without your permission.

Cheers, Lucifer. In other words, there's not much that I can do - pretty much what I expected.
My main concern is doing some work for a future client only to discover that they already have a copy of my material.

As an aside, it's quite concerning when someone repeatedly asks, "where did you get that?" As if the concept of creating a peace of work, as opposed to a cut n' paste job, never occurred to them.

 

[Lucifer Box]

Cheers, Lucifer. In other words, there's not much that I can do - pretty much what I expected.
My main concern is doing some work for a future client only to discover that they already have a copy of my material.

As an aside, it's quite concerning when someone repeatedly asks, "where did you get that?" As if the concept of creating a peace of work, as opposed to a cut n' paste job, never occurred to them.

Who owns the IP, Slave? You or your client? In most competent contracts for bum-on-seat contractors it is the client, but I have seen exceptions to that.

In the likely eventuality that it is your client that owns the IP in your work and you are really concerned, drop in at the legal department and outline the issue. Most reputable clients would, quite rightly, take a very dim view of a sub-contractor ripping off their IP and effectively selling it to other clients (which is what your fellow contractor would be doing if he did as you outlined). Theft is theft, no matter how you much you fancy it up.

 

[WageSlave]

Lucifer, to be perfectly honest, I haven't signed contract But I suspect any work developed becomes the property of the client. I'll certainly have to have a word with the client's legal department, although judging by what I've seen, I doubt they would be interested and/or effective.

 

[SandyDown]

heh

heh

How funny Slave, the picture in your avatar is exactly how I always imagined you look like .. strange that is !!!

 

[WageSlave]

How funny Slave, the picture in your avatar is exactly how I always imagined you look like .. strange that is !!!

Really??? Hopefully I don't look like a 50-something-year-old with a dodgy tash.

I look more like Ainsley Harriott

 

[SandyDown]

dev

dev

Really??? Hopefully I don't look like a 50-something-year-old with a dodgy tash.

I look more like Ainsley Harriott

also you have been saying for a while you are on a management etc contract, so what are you doing developing solutions like a code monkey??