[LAD] students and copyright

[Ralf Mardorf]

Arnold Krille wrote:
> On Sunday 02 August 2009 18:22:56 Patrick Shirkey wrote:
>   
>> On 08/02/2009 08:14 PM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
>>     
>>> Arnold Krille wrote:
>>>       
>>>> If you didn't sign a contract and work on a project, the
>>>> copyright is still yours
>>>>         
>>> Are you sure? I guess (and I'm not sure) that if you did some kind of
>>> work, e.g. being a developer for a company, it implies that the employer
>>> will take on the copyright and that you aren't allowed to disclose
>>> know-how, even if there isn't a special contract saying this. If I'm
>>> wrong, this  would give me some thrilling views for my future, because
>>> of my past and especially a friend could benefit from this, because he
>>> did much more for other people than I did.
>>>       
>> Just because you work for a company or contribute code to a company
>> doesn't give them exclusive license to your code.
>> You have to *explicitly* sign or give that right away.
>>     
>
> Standard contracts for employees include that the copyrights of their 
> productive work during company time is property of the company. And that 
> includes software...

In my case it would be hardware. The contracts were printed forms for 
"workers", but not especially for "developers" and some employers were 
newbie bosses. You might be right, even if I can't remember the 
contracts. To be honest, it's not really important for me now, but maybe 
it can become important if I disclose knowledge for free or got a new job.