Warning - Uncool

[Anonymous]

I just received the most uncool thing thru email. A company we outsource with sent me another company's (or competitor's) customization files. They basically said: "This is cool. We got this from another company, and it is very useful so we thought it might be useful for your projects too. Check it out." It contains another company's cui some menu files some pmi file and all the other supporting bits. Fortunately they did not disclose the other company's name and I'm going to dump the zip, but I found myself disturbed by the whole thing. I've sent them programs that I developed at my companies request. I was never naive enough to believe they wouldn't share them but I am sickened by the whole thing. I just kind of feel that if someone is going to share my intellectual property it should be me, and if I want to put it out there for the world I do.

[Anonymous]

"I just kind of feel that if someone is going to share my intellectual
property it should be me, and if I want to put it out there for the world I
do."

Well, you did when you released it to a second party you had no control
over. You can't expect the world to look after and protect you (and
certainly not your intellectual property!). Sorry I have to throw the
"should have known better" yellow card up, but . . ..

Everything I post or expose to another party goes with My expectation of it
being shared. Would I ever, EVER do that: NO. But I've learned over many
hard lessons that I can't expect the same considerations from others - and
don't.

jb

P.S. You're dead on though: very UnCool.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunatly very well said James...

[arcticad]

Encode and mark everything you send out.
Be sure and add Extra identification.
Xdata or Dictionary files into every drawing and block you create. Including the date and your company information.
Password Protect your VBA files and make fas/vlx files out of Lisp Routines.

I've make a point of only sending pdf files or I use deter from
http://www.dotsoft.com/freestuff.htm
to prevent changes.

I've even had some code check for a remote file on the local network. So if anyone takes the programs out of the office they won't work at all.

[Anonymous]

I shared my property with a firm who signed a confidentiality contract. I was not happy about it, but was directed to by my boss. I can not substantiate that my program has been sent anywhere... and I don't know that the company whose program was emailed to me has a similar contract with these guys. The whole thing just put a very bad taste in my mouth.

[arcticad]

My Favorite is when i receive drawings from companies and they are using our north arrows and blocks. Especially when the drawings are from an unrelated project.

[Anonymous]

arcticad wrote:
> My Favorite is when i receive drawings from companies and they are using our north arrows and blocks. Especially when the drawings are from an unrelated project.

Even better is when they deny knowledge that it's yours, claiming they
spent time creating it themselves.

It was only a small block, but to have someone stand in front of us &
plead ignorance was astounding.

I just laughed & walked away.

Dave F.

[Anonymous]

On the one hand I completely agree. Then again, on the other hand, some people think they should be able to copyright the word "The" or "Bros" (for full reference check out trade mark dispute between Warner Bros. and The Marx Bros.).

If you think your intellectual property is significant enough to protect it, then by all means available, protect it. I for one have not created anything so valuable and unique that I felt it necessary to protect it. However, if I ever do create something I think is important and unique then I will take steps to protect it.

Scott