Reading a self-help book might be directly applicable to his side project, too, giving him skills to discipline himself for instance. (I could use a little of t

Reading a self-help book might be directly applicable to his side project, too, giving him skills to discipline himself for instance. (I could use a little of that in my side project!) I'm not a lawyer either, but my example is different from yours is VERY different from bringing in a laptop and working on the project in your spare time. I'd personally risk reading about, say, development (since I'm employed as a developer) and not really worry about it. If I'm working on billing software but reading about the entertainment industry (and building an entertainment-industry application), then I think we've got concerns. I guess I'm trying to say that I don't think becoming a better developer in your spare time is wrong in any regard. It benefits you, your employer, and your side project. That said, I don't think the GP really mentioned a subject. Maybe he's reading fiction?