FN-FORUM: Ownership of Code

date posted 27th June 2006 20:10

Hi guys/gals,

Here's the scenario. I 'work' part-time for a hosting company, doing
server administration, maintenance and out of boredom I normally end
up coding something for them within my spare time. At the moment I'm
coding a control panel for them, so they have an accounting system.
Note: I'm doing this of my own initiative and out of my spare time, I
DO NOT get paid for coding anything. In fact, I'm not even paid at
all - I'm being given shares in the company.

My question is, who owns what I code?

I'm not being paid a salary, and even if I was it's not in my job
description to code for them - it's purely out of boredom and making
my life a lot easier with automation. Automation which they can then,
of course, carry on with or without me. It's NOT a 'full time' job,
no hours are agreed and I have no contract with them at all. I've
signed nothing, and everything is verbal at the moment. Nobody had
asked me to develop a control panel, so there's not even a verbal
agreement of that.

Would I own my code, and be able to sell this 'control panel' that I
develop should I want to?

Cheers,
Rich.