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Geek Culture / Create virtual office enviroments, people work on code, but cannot download it.

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fallen one
17
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Joined: 7th Aug 2006
Location: My imagination!
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 00:15
Is this possible? I have code that are expensive, I want to hire people to do small alterations and have them work remotely, but not be able to download the 'precious', said in my best Gollum voice.

This would really help me a lot, If this doesn't exist Ill be amazed, I'm not big enough to have full time staff relocate to me, having something like this would be great.


Seditious
10
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Joined: 2nd Aug 2013
Location: France
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 00:45
How can people work on code if they can't examine the entirety of it?
TheComet
16
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Joined: 18th Oct 2007
Location: I`m under ur bridge eating ur goatz.
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 01:06 Edited at: 21st Jun 2014 01:06
If they can look at the code, what makes you think they can't copy it? The most you can do is split the code up into modules and only let each person have access to the source code of one module, and the rest be compiled (so they can run the program but can't see the code of the modules they're not supposed to).

Dark Java Dude 64
Community Leader
13
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Joined: 21st Sep 2010
Location: Neither here nor there nor anywhere
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 01:13
Just have each person killed after they finish working on it.


Flash is falling out of... Flashion.
Van B
Moderator
21
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Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 12:02
Unit testing?

Why not compartmentalize and modularize and other cool sounding techy words your code, but make each part self sufficient. Like add temporary testing code, so anything they'd need to do can be compiled and tested without needing the other modules.

For example, say you had an SQL module that connects to a specific database and stores/retrieves data using this module. You might not even be able to give access to this for external coders, but you could make a fake module that mimics the SQL module, allowing everything to be tested externally. The external coder might only have to see the mimic code, rather than everything the SQL module might do.

I am the one who knocks...
fallen one
17
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Joined: 7th Aug 2006
Location: My imagination!
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 13:18 Edited at: 21st Jun 2014 13:20
Ill give more info, I'm buying source code to mobile apps, I want to hire people to add very small parts of code and test the apps, so I want an environment with eclipse and xcode, the project files for them to edit. I just dont want them downloading the games and stealing them.

Perhaps I could set up a cloud computer, there are companies that have cloud computing for hire) and give access only to the cloud computer, with no download options for their access. I dont see how they can copy that without manually copying it all.

Or perhaps I just send them part of the code like some have said, Id have to figure out which parts to send them. I dont know where to start on that, and if they only have a little part then I dont think it will work.

The changes I'm looking at duplicating the single player button, and moving buttons to make room, then adding in code for different (third party services) into the home screen for that button.

Possibly adding features for a post high score to facebook, or in game mini games etc, there are lots of services out there to add kinds of features into an app.

If I broke the project down, Im not sure what parts to send, seems easier just to have them work on it on a cloud computer.

I dont have a lot of time, I'm not really into computer techie stuff, I'm trying to expand a business, I have capital to do that, its bad business doing small jobs that I'm not qualified for, that frustrate me, and take time, its just not how to run a business.

But what I am worried about is security. If I buy code it is not cheap, and you have to work very hard to get that money, and I said work, not borrow, and I dont know the people I hire, and even if I did, you cannot guarantee theft, I dont suppose anything is fool proof, but you can lesson dangers.


TheComet
16
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Joined: 18th Oct 2007
Location: I`m under ur bridge eating ur goatz.
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 14:06 Edited at: 21st Jun 2014 14:09
You're thinking about this the wrong way. This isn't a technical issue, this is a business issue. Add a section in their contracts about how all the code they work on is owned by the company, that they have no rights to distribute it, etc. etc.

If they end up distributing it you can sue their asses and you'll end up getting rich that way.

nonZero
12
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Joined: 10th Jul 2011
Location: Dark Empire HQ, Otherworld, Silent Hill
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 14:08
OP: if they can see it, they can steal it. Sad but true. As others suggested, modularity is the best. I'd recommend abstraction but that's a dangerous beastie you don't want to play with. So is code obfuscation, ftr.

"I was in nASA before it was cool" -- Original nASA Members (nonZero, DJD and TheComet)
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
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Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 21st Jun 2014 15:15
Tools like Team Viewer would allow you to see what they are doing on your computer... I think you can restrict remote clipboard and such with TViewer...

Dar13
15
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Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 22nd Jun 2014 07:00
Any programmer will complain about having text-editing features gimped or restricted so I agree with TheComet that this is definitely a business issue. Draw up a contract, maybe using a contract lawyer, and have them sign it before working on it.

Quik
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Joined: 3rd Jul 2008
Location: Equestria!
Posted: 22nd Jun 2014 10:56
Quote: "You're thinking about this the wrong way. This isn't a technical issue, this is a business issue. Add a section in their contracts about how all the code they work on is owned by the company, that they have no rights to distribute it, etc. etc.

If they end up distributing it you can sue their asses and you'll end up getting rich that way."


This^



Whose eyes are those eyes?
fallen one
17
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Joined: 7th Aug 2006
Location: My imagination!
Posted: 29th Jun 2014 10:40
It would be hard tracking down the code, anyone can redistribute something, change the graphics, the name, and you would not know it was out there.

Modular programming looks interesting, but as the source code is bought in, I have not structured it, so it may not be made in a Modular way. Ive put a job offer out on a job service seeing what others can come up with, and if I can learn how to add the changes myself.


Airslide
19
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Joined: 18th Oct 2004
Location: California
Posted: 7th Jul 2014 07:19
I think the point is that if someone does steal it and becomes successful doing so (as in they make substantial money) you can probably figure it out and then call them out for breach of contract. If they do it and their rip-off is just floating around failing to get attention they probably aren't making any good money off it, in which case it shouldn't significantly impact the success of your own project.
fallen one
17
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Joined: 7th Aug 2006
Location: My imagination!
Posted: 18th Jul 2014 11:50
one option might be to hire an office for a week and see if there are temp agencies that have coders on the books, then have them come out and do the work. I should be able to get everything done in a week or two, thats one way of doing it.


Libervurto
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Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 19th Jul 2014 02:49
You can train them that sharing code is bad via electrotherapy.
Are big scary contract clauses not enough to deter your employees from releasing/using code in other projects?

Is it possible to partially compile a program? So that one could work on a specific part of the program, compile their part and splice it into the rest of the ready-compiled program?

Formerly OBese87.
Jeku
Moderator
20
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Joined: 4th Jul 2003
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 19th Jul 2014 08:01
That's ridiculous if you don't even trust the people you're hiring. The largest software companies in the world hire employees that could potentially steal the source code, and they typically sign non-compete and NDA documents to legally stop them. Making it so each person can only "partially" compile the program is probably the craziest thing I've heard in a long time. Surely if Google, Microsoft, and EA employees have access to complete software codebases, then your company's employees can as well

Senior Developer - CBS Interactive Music Group
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
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Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII

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