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Important: IANAL. Now, it seems to me that there are two issues here: (1) Do you sign an NDA? (2) Do you represent yourself as an "unpaid student intern"? (1)

Important: IANAL. Now, it seems to me that there are two issues here: (1) Do you sign an NDA? (2) Do you represent yourself as an "unpaid student intern"? (1) Do you sign an NDA? First, you may call it "standard", but the real standard is to ask someone to sign an NDA before revealing information to them, so that they can weigh costs vs. benefits. Presenting an NDA to you at this point doesn't make sense. Second, do you get any benefits from signing this NDA? I think not. Third, "standard" does not mean "a good idea". And fourth, what price do you pay by signing this NDA? If you decide you want to do something similar to this app in the future, are you not allowed to? Is your "co-creator" trying to limit the future use of your skills, your future business prospects, etc.? Putting it all together, I think signing the NDA is a ridiculous idea, "standard" or not. I'd say a firm "no", and call it a learning experience for this person -- part of their business education. (2) Do you present yourself as an "unpaid student intern"? It sounds like your "co-creator" is asking for a gift. She wants you to give her the app and relinquish any claims on it. Why would you do that? Well, altruism, I suppose, and perhaps the desire to rid yourself of any connections with someone with whom you should never have partnered in the first place. But I see no reason whatsoever that you would be required to do that. -------------------- EDIT: Or, to put it more bluntly, alkxa is right. See the comment by that user.

HarryHirsch 13y ago
It sounds like your "co-creator" is asking for a gift. Cynical me thinks your colleague isn't asking for a gift but rather doing business as usual because "[the course] is taken primarily by business students who have had professional experience". Standard operating practice in business, your partner has learned, is to ask for the moon with cheese on top, and if that's too much it gets knocked down to proper size during negotiations or in the courts, if necessity demands. Besides, you are inexperienced, and your partner is not. This is not a viable long-term strategy, and it's really dubious ethics, but since it's just an MBA class, and you won't have business dealings again, it's at least a rational strategy. What I'm saying is that the "rational economic actor" is a deeply amoral being, if not an immoral being, and it isn't worth dealing with such a thing.

HarryHirsch 13y ago

It sounds like your "co-creator" is asking for a gift. Cynical me thinks your colleague isn't asking for a gift but rather doing business as usual because "[the course] is taken primarily by business students who have had professional experience". Standard operating practice in business, your partner has learned, is to ask for the moon with cheese on top, and if that's too much it gets knocked down to proper size during negotiations or in the courts, if necessity demands. Besides, you are inexperienced, and your partner is not. This is not a viable long-term strategy, and it's really dubious ethics, but since it's just an MBA class, and you won't have business dealings again, it's at least a rational strategy. What I'm saying is that the "rational economic actor" is a deeply amoral being, if not an immoral being, and it isn't worth dealing with such a thing.