Licensing Question?

L

Legacy 98055

Guest
Hi everyone.
This may be an unusual question for this forum, but I'll dig as much out of you guys as I can.
I am actually a truck driver who took an interest in computers about a year ago.
I have quickly been elevated to "guru" status at my local office, which does not say alot, but does afford me the oportunity to make alot more money than my counterparts.
I purchased Microsoft Visual Studio and have mostly done my work in VB. Have recently started to learn Excel as well. Purchased Office 2000.
Some of the work for various projects has been done at work, some at home.
To the point. I just found out that a copy of an extensive Excel project I created was just sent to a similiar account in another state. They are also requesting copies of several fairly large VB projects as well.
My question is. Who owns this software?
I was paid and am not trying to be greedy, but I feel somewhat usurped. The Excel project is locked and some editing will be needed to customize for the new location. They want the password for one of their people to edit my code. They also want the source code from my VB projects. Can they demand this? The VB projects were written soley on my purchased Visual Studio.
I searched the web and could find nothing that seemed relevant to my question.
As always, I appreciate the help.
Tom
 

Excel Facts

Do you hate GETPIVOTDATA?
Prevent GETPIVOTDATA. Select inside a PivotTable. In the Analyze tab of the ribbon, open the dropown next to Options and turn it off
This has some information on the ownership of Intellectual Property Rights for employees in USA.

http://cerebraltrespass.com/ipguideweb.htm


I'm not a legal expert but I always thought the general rule was if you are being paid for it, it belongs to the employer, if you are not being paid then it belongs to you, subject of course to what you contract of employment says. Then again, never having an original idea, its not something I've looked into in any great detail:)

Nobby
 
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Buy the book: SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, A Legal Guide by Fishman.

There is one chapter that asserts if you are not being paid as a programmer and you write the thing on your own time, you own the code. If they paid you extra for it, then it is up in the air.

Bill
 
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Hey Tom:
You truly are a Guru -- Your status on MrExcel Board attests to that as well -- I just noticed that --

C O N G R A T S

Regards!
 
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see my reply on http://www.mrexcel.com/board/viewtopic.php?topic=8040&forum=2&5

but ill add you hold the CD whatever program
You hold the licence as legal DSP product.
so you design the exe or exl or com or whatever it wa as a job for a company.

NOW US laws seem to be subject to FBI rules but copyright FBI jump on.

i would say this from bitter experiance and daily grinds.

Employers will demand working products and open sorces

that is open excel sheet ie not passworded or PWs given, and any programmong sorce code to be given, i have even had to print some of my codes before for a company exccel ODBC ripping AS400 live debtors reports so they can edit.. this is common

you i would say have passed on the coppy right to the employer as agreed for that work but the compilind software is yours, VB Studio.

OK so what you do is this re jigg it improve it and re use it, but leaglly i cant say that elegadily... covers me in UK laws there.

run mate!
 
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Hey Yogi?
Is that an automated promotion based upon posts or does someone actually think I deserve the MVP title?

Jack.
I hope I don't have to worry that deeply.
I was already paid for my work, and I have learned alot. It's a win win here. But you know what I'm saying when your "baby", so to speak, is being ravaged by know-it-alls?
I have unique knowledge of our operation with no ego attached. I enjoy improving things like most of us creative developers.
Thanks for your continual input brother.
Tom
 
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On 2002-05-12 13:08, TsTom wrote:
Hey Yogi?
Is that an automated promotion based upon posts or does someone actually think I deserve the MVP title?

A WELL DESERVED HONOR !

Regards!
 
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