Hi Guys,
Just got an email which brought me from the X10 dungeons to comment on this issue. For me, an opportunity to talk about myself, and hopefully to enlighten those wishing a long and successful job in an industry where IP (intelectual property) is king.
I picked up the sad habit many years ago of keeping my old notes, drafts, prototypes, files and in some cases, a posted copy of same to myself. This last trick ensures you have an official date attributed to what is inside the envelope. You can further cement your claim by having the envelope placed in the hands of a solicitor or safebox to double up on the date of conception. Fortunately, I have never had to delve into my mirky records, but IP challenges do happen, and I guarentee as we move towards the realm of user customizable content, the ownership of electronic stuff will be even more jelously guarded than ever before.
That said, there are many ideas that have sometimes gone to product where I do not have sufficient material from the development, and so would have to rely on pedigree and good arguments to win an IP challenge. I certainly hope I don't have to fight one of those (above). My mission in life is to be a full time coder, not a part time solicitor!
In this case, the moderators have once again demonstrated their ability to police these forums well, armed with a thorough knowledge of the community and good old fashioned common sense. Had they sniffed out a pirate, the site in question would probably be in flames right about now
Speaking as a guy with IP all over the place, I don't think we have found a witch in Fiberfrag, just another guy who does not have enough ammo to defend a challenge for the IP that are using/selling. You might be surprised just how little we are prepared in this area, especially when the work was created casually. If it was me, and I could not prove it was mine, I would probably do as Fiberfrag has done and withdraw the product, refund anyone who applied and start work on a replacement product making sure I did everything possible to retain evidence of IP ownership.
The situation is similar to losing all your work when your HD dies. The very next thing you do is invest in the most solid backup agent you can find to make sure it never happens again. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
"Small, smart, and running around the legs of dinosaurs to find enough food to survive, bedroom programmers aren't extinct after all
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