I think you're misinterpreting the article, at least with respect to the "precious libraries". As a freelance programmer myself, I absolutely agree with you that any code I've written for a client should, by default, belong to them1. But I also agree with the linked article that my "libraries" - which is to say, existing code which was not written as a part of any particular client's project - must remain mine unless the client is willing to pay me (and pay me well) for the time and effort previously invested in them.

Saying that the client should end up owning all code involved in the project, or even all code used in the project which flowed from your fingers, is ludicrous. By that principle, if Stevan Little completed a project for BigCorp, Inc. and used Moose in it2, then BigCorp would own Moose, even though Moose had existed for years prior to their contacting Stevan or beginning the project.

1 My personal way of acknowledging this default is by offering a discount on time spent writing code which will be contributed to FOSS projects or for which I will retain copyright. Sadly, it's extremely rare for clients to take me up on the offer.

2 Ignoring, for the moment, Moose's long list of contributors and pretending, for the sake of discussion, that Stevan wrote the whole thing personally, on his own time.

In reply to Re: What I am paid for by dsheroh
in thread What I am paid for by Svante

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