Hi i was going to post this in legal but i don't think it was the correct forum hope this is the correct forum. What my question is i have come up with an idea for a script i want coded but i have a problem so far i have not found any other script like this on the Internet so it is potentially very valuable idea. This is were i am troubled you see i cannot code it myself so i will need to outsource it but what steps can i take to ensure my idea does not get shared, re-used or resold etc. Hope anyone can help me out with this as i haven't a clue what to do with my situation and as many of you will know there are many programmers who re-sell your scripts i myself in the past have had the problem twice. Thank you.
If you are an American, that's easy. Hire an American programmer. If they sign an NDA then they are legally bound to it. There no contract enforcement if hire someone from another country. Oh wait, I'm one. I should send you a PM.
Yeah NDA's don't count for shit personally. Regardless of the country. Your best bet is to just deal with someone reputable, someone with a good and long history, or partner with a developer and turn it into a JV.
It's almost a catch-22. The type of programmer who would have no problem signing and following an NDA is also the type of person who would hold the same standards without an NDA. On the other hand, no amount of paperwork can make a rogue individual do what you want them to do.
You should try to hrie a freelance programmer from your city if that is not possible from your country, just post your requirement in few freelance websites stating clearly that you need someone from city x or country y, make him sign an agreement on paper and fax it to you.
Thanks for the help i will look into NDA and see how watertight these are as i want my idea to be safe as possible.
Hire someone with zero hustle who is also too busy to steal your idea Maybe learn the basics of a programming language and outsource snippets of your code if possible and put it together yourself.
seriously an NDA is a waste of time. vpguy is on the money, no amount of paperwork can stop someone from taking what they have done for you, and then using it again. doesnt take much to take all the code, and then add some more features or change a few things and its a whole new product.
You've basically got to be ready to protect your IP. Working with freelancers makes this very hard, at an absolute minimum make them sign a non-disclosure and non-compete agreement. Next sign a contract that outlines the work and who own the IP. Personally I'd only work with someone who was recommended to me and was in the same country. Never send a great idea offshore unless you're willing to see it sold to others. When you get the code, check with a lawyer in your local country as to how you can protect your copyright and IP. For example down in Australia a printed copy of the code plus cd posted and post marked and then no opened can be used to prove ownership. Short version if you're idea is worth protecting then consult someone who can help, i.e. a lawyer. It'll be worth it in the long run.
Gaussian has it right. It's not really about the NDA, it's about who owns the rights to the software at the end. Read up on copyright law, especially as to how it pertains to freelancers and individual contractors, then have them - ahead of time - sign over their rights to the script to you. Software patenting is also possible once you get to that point, but it's very expensive and means everyone gets to look at your code. Then again, it's next to impossible to actually hide your code if it's a website script. View source & backtrack through the includes, on average is enough to read everything.