

Covert Paper & Pencil Programming for the Employed Startup Founder - ulo
http://kamigawa.posterous.com/paper-and-pencil-programming-for-the-part-tim

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settrans
If you find yourself needing to do these things at work, you need to find a
new job. The relationship between you and your boss should be mutually
beneficial. Skulking around at work having to hide things from your employer
means you have the wrong job. Quit.

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umjames
What I always find to be so frustrating is that I see co-workers doing non-
work related things with the company's resources all the time: long personal
telephone conversations, online shopping, reading sports or politics-related
content on the internet (especially fantasy sport pools).

Oftentimes, the boss is aware of this and doesn't seem to mind. The people who
do this are not the most skilled employees either. Yet, if I want to spend my
"downtime" learning new technologies (which could actually help me do my work
better), I feel like I have to hide it.

It would be nice if you could work on your own projects at work in the open as
long as you weren't accessing internal company servers. I'd even be willing to
bring my laptop in and connect it to the external-only wireless network if the
company required that. When I can't improve my skills while at work, I feel
that I'm wasting my time.

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nfnaaron
"It would be nice if you could work on your own projects at work in the open
as long as you weren't accessing internal company servers."

That sounds like a job description for working at home as a freelancer or
remote employee.

On the internet, nobody can tell if you're an entrepreneur.

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NateLawson
This article has to be a joke. Assuming you have a modern contract (non-
compete, IP assignment), working on your startup at work is stealing from your
employer. Doing a better job hiding your tracks doesn't make it right (or
legal). If you are found out, you could lose ownership of all that work.

If you're going to work on a startup while employed elsewhere, you need better
separation than this. Do your day job competently and quickly, then go
elsewhere to work on your startup. Get up early, do your startup stuff, then
get to work at an acceptable time. Or do it in the evening. But trying to mix
the two while at your employer's office is a recipe for disaster.

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randallsquared
_This article has to be a joke. Assuming you have a modern contract (non-
compete, IP assignment), working on your startup at work is stealing from your
employer._

Well, not only that, but it's _written_ like a joke. "Walk around so no one
can read over your shoulder, if you're afraid your coworkers will read your
code _over the bathroom stall wall_ "?! (paraphrased) Really? Come on.

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RBerenguel
I guess this has to come as a kind of brilliant idea while sipping a coffee
between compiles. You may have that great idea for the magic algorith that
will turn your startup into the next Big Thing. And if you still have 10 hours
of work ahead, it may die a little... And probably you just can't code it in
your office's computer, IP stuff and all.

Write down the code in paper, or write it down on your portable computing
device (iPhone, Android, Nanonote, netbook) and when at home, go for it.

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Periodic
This seems mostly like a way to avoid creating evidence more than a way to
avoid the legal problems of working on a side project at your employer.

Is the law simply that you cannot use your employers resources such as
computer and internet connection to create your side company, or does the law
state that you cannot also use time your employer thinks is theirs for your
side project?

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olefoo
This is usually a matter of your employment contract, the laws on this vary
from place to place and at least one person has been successfully sued for
having an idea on company time.

My thoughts on this boil down to two simple rules:

1\. don't work for assholes

2\. Don't do something you would object to if done to you.

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NateLawson
Yes, it is particular to the contract and state laws. Most decent contracts
state the employee will "dedicate appropriate time and effort to completing
assigned tasks". Of course this is vague, but putting in 10 hours a week is a
sure way to get fired. If it turns out you were spending 30 hours a week on
your startup at the same time (and depending on other company resources used,
etc.), your startup work may not be owned by you.

Most likely, you'll just be fired for non-performance but depending on the
circumstances, your employer could sue for ownership. This would especially be
the case if you went from Microsoft to Google or something similar.

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teuobk
Well, that's unethical. How would you feel if you had employees who were doing
such things while you paid them?

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barnaby
Don't kid yourself. They already are.

It's called "founders syndrome" when you can't possibly imagine doing anything
else other than pushing the business forward every waking hour, and then are
surprised that to your employees, it's just a paycheck and they expect to have
a life (and ideas) outside of work.

~~~
tptacek
They're not talking about "outside of work".

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kevinherron
I read this and immediately assumed it was satire.

Then I read the comments... Really people?

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frou_dh
#2 - Write down ideas so that you don't forget them.

Wow, truly great stuff.

