[ILUG] nda's and other legal mumbo jumbo

[Rónán]

On 1/6/00 at 10:54 pm, higels at tcd.ie (Steffen Higel) wrote:


> 
> This is obviously A Bad Thing. I am writing to the list to ask if anyone
> has signed anything similair, do companies really enforce them and is
> there any way I can get around having to sign to that (bar not taking the
> job).
> 
Some will, some won't. Problem is, once it's signed, they *can*.

I wouldn't accept it - it's too brod and too vague. As you've given it, it would
seem to apply even after you've left them, so any programs you write that drawon
your experience there will be theirs. "Using experience gained" is very wide -
what if you learn something basic (like a bubble sort, for example) while
working there? This could mean that anything you write with a bubble sort in it
is theirs.

On the other hand, because it's so broad, a court may not enforce it. Problem
is, the only way you can find this out for sure is to bring a lawsuit.

Ask them to re-phrase it, don't sign it until you're sure it's acceptable, and
if it's really important, get a lawyer.