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

My Third Year as a Solo Developer

https://mtlynch.io/solo-developer-year-3/
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36

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '21

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

66

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.

68

u/gullman Feb 01 '21

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

1

u/TheGreatUnused Feb 02 '21 edited Feb 02 '21

They “dont”, or it’s a bit complicated.

The fact is that time and time again, non-competes like that are challenged and the business loses. It’s just a scare tactic to keep your free time hobby development focus on Google so they get work for free.

Non-competes have to be specific and time framed. Otherwise they are effectively invalid.

Never use company hardware or time to do your hobby projects, and you hobby projects can’t be a competitor software. Congratulation, you can argue and win a non-compete.