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> This is not an officially supported Google product. Basically when Google employees ask permission to work on a side project, Google asks them to release it

> This is not an officially supported Google product. Basically when Google employees ask permission to work on a side project, Google asks them to release it open source under Google's GitHub but mark it as not an official Google product. This is probably something the authors work on nights/weekends and not anything to do with their work.

brundolf 5y ago
Oof, that's a pretty draconian constraint. Glad I don't work at Google.
- dekhn 5y ago
  You can also request that you obtain total control over the project (not hosted by google, not copyrighted by google) but those requests are hard to get approved.
  - jopsen 5y ago
    > but those requests are hard to get approved. I had no problems getting approval for a tiny 2D home-trainer game I worked on this winter.. I suppose it varies depending on what you do. But if you work on part of it during 20% time, you probably can't do this. disclaimer: I work at Google.
- skybrian 5y ago
  It makes sense when you want to use your open source project at work, rather than having it completely separate from work. It might be possible to work on it as 20% time if it’s plausible that projects at Google might use it. You could talk about it at promotion time. And at the same time, you’ll still be able to use it if you leave the company. This is a way to have your cake and eat it too. Most code you work on at work isn’t open source at all. Alternatively, you could have a side project that’s completely separate from your job.
  - brundolf 5y ago
    The GP made it sound like you can't just have a side project that's completely separate from your job; that side projects are Google's by default unless you go out of your way to get permission to separate it out
    - pjmlp 5y ago
      In most jurisdictions that wouldn't even be allowed by the country law. Google or any other company would have very hard time forbidding what employees do on their free time outside work, regardless of what they feel like putting on the work contract.
      - brundolf 5y ago
        In the U.S. contracts along those lines are (unfortunately) not uncommon. I think they may be illegal in California at least
        pjmlp 5y ago
        I am aware of it, however companies like Google should know better than trying to use US contracts on other countries, that was my point.

brundolf 5y ago

Oof, that's a pretty draconian constraint. Glad I don't work at Google.

dekhn 5y ago
You can also request that you obtain total control over the project (not hosted by google, not copyrighted by google) but those requests are hard to get approved.
- jopsen 5y ago
  > but those requests are hard to get approved. I had no problems getting approval for a tiny 2D home-trainer game I worked on this winter.. I suppose it varies depending on what you do. But if you work on part of it during 20% time, you probably can't do this. disclaimer: I work at Google.
skybrian 5y ago
It makes sense when you want to use your open source project at work, rather than having it completely separate from work. It might be possible to work on it as 20% time if it’s plausible that projects at Google might use it. You could talk about it at promotion time. And at the same time, you’ll still be able to use it if you leave the company. This is a way to have your cake and eat it too. Most code you work on at work isn’t open source at all. Alternatively, you could have a side project that’s completely separate from your job.
- brundolf 5y ago
  The GP made it sound like you can't just have a side project that's completely separate from your job; that side projects are Google's by default unless you go out of your way to get permission to separate it out
  - pjmlp 5y ago
    In most jurisdictions that wouldn't even be allowed by the country law. Google or any other company would have very hard time forbidding what employees do on their free time outside work, regardless of what they feel like putting on the work contract.
    - brundolf 5y ago
      In the U.S. contracts along those lines are (unfortunately) not uncommon. I think they may be illegal in California at least
      - pjmlp 5y ago
        I am aware of it, however companies like Google should know better than trying to use US contracts on other countries, that was my point.