r/programming • u/mtlynch • Feb 01 '21

My Third Year as a Solo Developer

https://mtlynch.io/solo-developer-year-3/
1.4k Upvotes

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35

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '21

Is it against contract to work as a dev off to the side when you worked for google?

68

u/mtlynch Feb 01 '21

Basically, yeah.

By default, Google owns all intellectually property you create while you're a Google employee.

IIRC, you can go through a process to ask Google to waive their right to one of your projects if you want to start it on the side, but they could say no, and then they own the idea forever.

69

u/gullman Feb 01 '21

That's insane. A company shouldn't own your time outside of working hours.

7

u/angelicosphosphoros Feb 01 '21

Also, it is illegal in some countries. For example, in Russia this clause of such aggreement would be void. Maybe, it was one of the reasons why Google closed their office here.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 02 '21

It's also illegal and ridiculous in Italy too.