You'll be hard pressed at a well-established tech company like Google to find even one programming topic wherein you're not legitimately competing with your emp

You'll be hard pressed at a well-established tech company like Google to find even one programming topic wherein you're not legitimately competing with your employer. Google's IARC process (where they officially sign over their claim to a given invention) is really, truly unusual. They absolute are going out of their way to be accommodating. Even their (super liberal) open-source process was practically unheard of when they started it. The fact that Chris DiBona runs that office is probably (definitely, absolutely) a factor. Also, I would exercise extreme caution when using the section 2870 argument with a random employer; there's nothing in there that says you can't be fired if you try it, even (and especially) if you win.