TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: ownership rights From:"Brierley, Sean" <Brierley -at- QUODATA -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 11 May 1999 14:12:09 -0400
Hallo:
I assign the ownership to the company that hires me. I provide all the
files, including the source files, unless there is a maintenance agreement
under which I am to update the files regularly.
However, for the most part, the companies I have worked for have had t.w.
departments and I was picking up the overflow. Those companies that have
tech writers need the source files for future updates. A couple of those
companies that did not have t.w. depts. came back to me for source file
information, requesting freebie updates and tweaks, or with application
support questions. As I had already handed off all the files, I could and
did claim (politely, with an offer of help) that I did not retain a copy of
*their* source files and that I had handed off x number of copies to persons
x, y, and z . . ..
Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Lori Wiens [mailto:lwiens -at- JPS -dot- NET]
>>>Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 1999 12:06 PM
>>>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>>>Subject: ownership rights
>>>
>>>
>>>Consultants and Contractors:
>>>
>>>Do you generally retain ownership/copyrights to your help
>>>systems (or other
>>>documentation), or sign these over to the client? Do you
>>>provide just the
>>>output help files, or all the project files? Know of any
>>>good resources on
>>>handling these issues for tech. writers?
>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>
>>>Lori
>>>
>>>
>>>=============================================================
>>>==============
>>>Send commands to listserv -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu (e.g.,
>>>SIGNOFF TECHWR-L)
>>>Find contractor info at
>>>http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/contractors.h>>>tm
>>>Send all
>>>
>>>
