
PAANDA: The Professional Academic Alternative to Non-Disclosure Agreements - p4bl0
http://matt.might.net/articles/paanda-nda-for-academics/
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nraynaud
I have never encountered a worthwhile idea after having signed an NDA. This is
so anticlimactic. It's mostly business people who have no idea how to make a
product and come with their "idea" that sent me NDAs.

Because, you know, the revenue projection you pulled out of thin air and put
on your PPT before having even signed the first customer is an absolute trade
secret.

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rebootthesystem
Ever since I started to flat-out refuse to sign NDA's with a simple response I
have eliminated a whole layer of unnecessary drama and complexity from my
professional life.

"Please accept my apologies. Our corporate bylaws prohibit the use of NDA's."

Done. End of conversation. No need for a long and complicated explanation.

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fsk
I used to sign NDAs before an interview. Every time I did, it was one of the
stupidest ideas.

Now, I just pass. I use it as a filter to identify that the other person is an
idiot.

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gkop
For the rest of us that are not academics, there's
[http://friendda.org/](http://friendda.org/) .

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drawkbox
Here sign this NDA then tell us how to achieve this idea we have which we will
own and you cannot speak of.

The funny part is when people get out of country or outsourced to other
countries developers where they think an NDA or contract has much meaning or
weight or that they care.

The real contract is money for services paid, while that is happening then it
should continue, when that ends both groups/people should go about their
business unanchored. This is why so many services companies try to go into
products because the customer services/money exchange is much easier and well
understood with simple ownership, which is own it upon payment but not the
maker, just the product. Money for service and not ownership over everything.

A client or investor deserves to own any idea they fund and there will be NDAs
which are ok. But when it starts limiting competition for x years for work on
a 3 month contract it starts to get silly.

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frade33
Eventually, whenever you become an employer. You would probably and most
probably get the NDA signed. Esp., if you are a small business, because you
are more at risk from your employees than competitors.

Although I am not in a sofware business, but what would it take a lead
software developer to open up his own shop? Nothing a few bucks and the
clients of his/her ex company.

~~~
angersock
In theory, nothing is stopping a lead developer from opening up their own
shop.

In practice, unless you are comically shafting them or making it readily
apparent you aren't going to help them achieve whatever exit they're looking
for, the additional effort required to strike out by themselves is easily
outweighed by the benefits of staying put.

Also, if your business is more at risk from employees than competitors, I
think you need to _seriously_ reconsider either your treatment of your
employees, your business model, or your market analysis.

~~~
bsder
> Also, if your business is more at risk from employees than competitors, I
> think you need to seriously reconsider either your treatment of your
> employees, your business model, or your market analysis.

You are _always_ at more risk from employees because they have multiple ways
to hose you. Labor disputes, billing issues, intellectual property ownership
agreements, etc.

This is why we have things like NDAs, Confidentiality Agreements, Patent
Assignments, Stock Agreements, etc.

You don't have to be treating your employees badly for one to cause you
issues. Even a disagreement about how much to sell the company for can cause
problems, and that's not even a malicious reason to disagree.

~~~
CodeMage
> _You are always at more risk from employees because they have multiple ways
> to hose you. Labor disputes, billing issues, intellectual property ownership
> agreements, etc._

That reasoning smells fallacious to me. Just because there are more kinds of
risks, doesn't necessarily mean you're at more risk.

~~~
ForHackernews
This is why I'm more afraid of poisonous animals than car accidents. There are
_many_ kinds of poisonous animals!

