

Ask HN: How can we protect our source code/IP? - Ryan_O

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.<p>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?<p>Are there anyways to prevent this from happening?<p>What are google or facebook approaches to this risk?
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warwick
Trust 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.

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Ryan_O
Also, 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?

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zv
The project is not just source code. I remember there even was article about
that.

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DanielStraight
Wouldn't giving the code to a friend violate _non-disclosure_?

