I'm not saying that the company is right in taking any work you do outside of office hours (I think that's total crap) Oracle can't take your cupcake business,

I'm not saying that the company is right in taking any work you do outside of office hours (I think that's total crap) Oracle can't take your cupcake business, but: - They pay for your mind. That's why the agreement you agree to says, "We own what your mind produces". That's why they hired you. - In working for them, you get access to tools, knowledge, and experience you wouldn't have otherwise. If you get some great inspiration while talking to the company's client, you're hardly a lone actor. I don't love it either, but I understand the reasons, and for me it all comes down to how it is enforced. If you develop a web page under Oracle, they shouldn't have rights to that. If you develop an enterprise database that targets Oracle's market segment...