

Will employer sue a competitive spare time opensource project? - zxwing

My company runs a full opensource project under Apache 2 license. Unsatisfying its quality, I create a similar project in my spare time and plan to opensource after quitting current work. Will this cause my company sue me if someday I build some commercial version based on my spare time opensource project? The project is created all on my own time and own equipment, but it does compete to current company&#x27;s opensource project.
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CyberFonic
If your project ever makes any money or gains any recognition, then your
(ex)employer is very likely to sue.

Most employment contracts include a clause saying that "all" work you perform
during your employment is owned by them. Unrelated hobby work is generally Ok.
But from what you describe, under most jurisdictions your work will be deemed
to be owned by your employer.

Will be very interesting to see what others suggest. But my advice is: "Don't
go there!".

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zxwing
even if it won't make money but gains recognition, the ex-employer will sue
you? Then what will they get? The copyright? As an opensource project,
everybody can fork their own copy and make money on that.

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ohyes
Sure, recognition can be traded for money. It has value. I would wait for them
to fold or for a significant number of years to pass (basically for plausible
deniability and any no compete to pass).

But really, why work on the same thing twice? Pick a side project that steps
on someone who isn't your employer's toes.

