starting a business/web site, how to protect code ?

[surf]

I have been working on some code for a dateing service in Ruby/Rails.
I have talked to a guy who might be interested in being a business
partner as I m not sure I can do everything on my own or that I want
to. I would like some help with content/graphics/advertising and so on.
What I had wondered is how can I try to prevent someone whom I might
work with from stealing my code ? I'm not sure there is a good solution
that won't cost allot of money.

 

[Francis Cianfrocca]

I have been working on some code for a dateing service in Ruby/Rails.
I have talked to a guy who might be interested in being a business
partner as I m not sure I can do everything on my own or that I want
to. I would like some help with content/graphics/advertising and so on.
What I had wondered is how can I try to prevent someone whom I might
work with from stealing my code ? I'm not sure there is a good solution
that won't cost allot of money.

Aren't you going to run it on your own servers?

 

[Dido Sevilla]

I have been working on some code for a dateing service in Ruby/Rails.
I have talked to a guy who might be interested in being a business
partner as I m not sure I can do everything on my own or that I want
to. I would like some help with content/graphics/advertising and so on.
What I had wondered is how can I try to prevent someone whom I might
work with from stealing my code ? I'm not sure there is a good solution
that won't cost allot of money.

Have them sign a non-disclosure agreement. That's the easiest, most
reliable, and most effective route. Anything else is pissing in the
wind. Binary code is no defense against reverse engineering, and it
certainly isn't a defense against unauthorized copying. Don't go
looking for technological solutions to what is essentially a legal
problem. Hire a good lawyer.

 

[Rene Paulokat]

I have been working on some code for a dateing service in Ruby/Rails.
I have talked to a guy who might be interested in being a business
partner as I m not sure I can do everything on my own or that I want
to. I would like some help with content/graphics/advertising and so on.
What I had wondered is how can I try to prevent someone whom I might
work with from stealing my code ? I'm not sure there is a good solution
that won't cost allot of money.

well - most efficient way is to GPL your code.
this solution should be mentioned.


greetings
rene

 

[surf]

Aren't you going to run it on your own servers?

I'd like to, but I have to see how many people will go on the site and
if it can generate revenue. The first so many people will get on free.
I have been writing code, but still have a ways to go and I think I
need to study up on some ajax stuff as well. I'd had the idea at some
point I could try to get investors, but this is all new to me.

 

[Francis Cianfrocca]

I'd like to, but I have to see how many people will go on the site and
if it can generate revenue.

This isn't a site to get business advice, but a potential investor
will ask you three questions, and all of them have one-clause answers:
1) What are you selling? 2) Why would anyone care about it? 3) What
makes you different from the twenty other people who have pitched me
the same idea?