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Ask HN: How can we protect our source code/IP?
I don't mean ways to obfuscate the actual application code but, how can a company make sure employees do not bring the code home to later made UI changes and launch a copycat.
I have had all of my employees sign NDAs but what if they just copy the code and give it to a friend and s/he start a project using your IP?
Are there anyways to prevent this from happening?
What are google or facebook approaches to this risk?
- warwick 17y agoTrust them. Presumably you checked references and did interviews before hiring these folks. [edited addendum] Any technical safeguards, like locking down their PCs in some insane manner, is just going to create an environment where nobody likes working for you.
- Ryan_O 17y agoThat is exactly what I don't want to happen. I don't want them to feel like they are slaves, or code monkeys that can't be trusted, however I do still have a concern because before I started my company I worked for many. Every single developer(in house and freelancers) always had access to the trunk. If I wanted to, I could have done the same thing I'm afraid of, but of course I never did. I was always thankful for the opportunity the company had given me and the fact the founders trusted me, however there is all kinds of people in this world.
- Ryan_O 17y agoAlso, developers can have an impeccable track record, you could have checked all references they gave you and you can like them a lot personally (in my case, my employees are my best friends), but still how can you be sure you can trust them? How can you be sure they are not looking for a quick way to be financially "successful" and maybe consider using your IP as a short path to achieve what they want?
- deleted 17y ago[deleted]
- zv 17y agoThe project is not just source code. I remember there even was article about that.
- DanielStraight 17y agoWouldn't giving the code to a friend violate non-disclosure?