Licensing created script.

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Posted by user_204207, 11-19-2008, 02:41 PM
Licensing created script. Hi, Not strictly programming, but best place would be here, I do believe. I received contact from a potential client asking about programming them a script, we agreed on a price and I started (50% upfront). Now, I'm half way through the work and it's going well, however I just found the person I'm creating it for is posting on forums advertising the script for sale (It's not even complete) and above the price we agreed. Now, I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing here; but whenever I program for a client I always add to the code "Code is copyright of [name] no resale rights allowed" etc, as I've never agreed that anything I do is allowed to be distributed, however this client is. There was no contract, it was all verbal and then 50% upfront was insurance, however now I'm not sure; Should I just do the work and allow them to resell it however much they want and remove the statement saying otherwise? I guess I should be doing contracts with the user, however, this caught me by surprise. I'm not comfortable with people trawling through the script, it's not designed that way, it's designed to be used by a single person, not mass distribution. __________________ I love to make websites. I love to program. I'm hosted by downtownhost and they're brilliant!
Posted by Steve_Arm, 11-19-2008, 02:44 PM
What? No. The price you agreed on is not for a "mass product". I would stop immediately or rework the agreement with a much much higher price or a 5% for each sale maybe. __________________ PHP Code Repository | Worst Wide Web, now PR2
Posted by user_204207, 11-19-2008, 03:01 PM
Quote: Originally Posted by Steve_Arm What? No. The price you agreed on is not for a "mass product". I would stop immediately or rework the agreement with a much much higher price or a 5% for each sale maybe. Do you have any suggestions on how I go about this? I want to avoid alienating the client as I've already spent ~6 hours working on this and that works out that I've been paid less than what I'd like, and if the client leaves then I've also lost the money. __________________ I love to make websites. I love to program. I'm hosted by downtownhost and they're brilliant!
Posted by Steve_Arm, 11-19-2008, 03:08 PM
Well, if I were you I would think: PHP Code: 1500){ÃÂ*ÃÂ*ÃÂ*ÃÂ*accept_it();ÃÂ*ÃÂ*ÃÂ*ÃÂ*move_on();}else{ÃÂ*ÃÂ*ÃÂ*ÃÂ*think_more();}?> What I'm trying to say with my square thought is some times for a small amount of money its better to keep your ethics and pride together. __________________ PHP Code Repository | Worst Wide Web, now PR2
Posted by user_204207, 11-19-2008, 03:11 PM
Quote: Originally Posted by Steve_Arm Well, if I were you I would think: What I'm trying to say with my square thought is some times for a small amount of money its better to keep your ethics and pride together. Php has a solution for everything The amount is little, probably less than any "respectable" programmer would get out of bed for, it's ~$100. I've never done work for more than $150 before, everyone I speak to is cheap I think I'll finish the script (I've started now) and then speak with the buyer, if they don't agree to no licensing, I keep the script and then I can use it myself, or simply put it down to learning, if they agree, they pay the rest and get the script Thanks for the help I didn't ever see whether or not it was normal for people to care what's done with the script after completion, thankyou __________________ I love to make websites. I love to program. I'm hosted by downtownhost and they're brilliant!
Posted by RandyE, 11-19-2008, 03:20 PM
I agree, if I was coding a script for someone and the decided to start trying to sell it I would stop working right then and try to renegotiate a new fee, and make them pay the difference of 50% of the new fee and what they originally paid you. Your ethics are more important then 1 client. You can always get a new one, once you fudge on your ethics, you'll never get them back. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
Posted by claymen, 11-22-2008, 07:05 AM
Put things in writing and work out exactly what you want to do. By the sounds of things you agree'd to a once off product which they are now looking to resell (again outside of what you agree'd do). Think of it as buying a copy of Invision Power Board and then reselling that multiple times (license key issues aside). The agreement was not for the resale but the script itself with you still retaining the copyright and license for that code. Best bet is sit down with them and nut it out and make sure its in writing and go from there. If they intend to sell it and are happy for it maybe its worth taking a cut of each sale? Also something else sprung to mind. Are the hiring you or buying the script? As that would change things. IF they have hired you to write code then the code would be theirs. No different if you worked for a company to write code. However from what you have said they are buying the script/code from you rather than hiring you which means you should have some grounds to push them. And all in all its a lesson learnt, just keep up the programming and make sure you still enjoy it

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