in reply to What I am paid for

Most programmer's contracts state explicitly that the company paying the bills. own the code. In many, it goes even further, in that not only do they own the code you produce whilst on the clock for them. They also lay claim to ownership of any code you produce on your own time whilst the contract is in force. I didn't read the article, but if his attitude is as you describe it, he'll simply stop getting work.

Note: There's no judgement on my behalf in the above to the rights or wrongs of the situation. It is just how it is.

But for contrast: A musician spends say 3 months recording an album. They then (can) just sit back and do nothing and expect to be paid for every album sold; and every public performance of their work. Hell. They even expect to be paid (again) if a some 2-bit mom&pop cafe or workshop let's its employees listen to the radio and their song is played. Despite that the radio station has already paid.

Or authors: Take a year to write a book. Do nothing more, and expect to be paid for every copy sold for something like 25(?) years.

Is what programmers do worth so much less than writers and musicians? I'm not saying that programmers should be paid like rock stars (Hell. Not even rock stars should be paid like rock stars:). And I guess "software" in the widest sense of the word has its rock stars. From Larry & Sergey on down. But somehow, the top-heaviness of the pay scales for programmers, seems even more obscene than for musicians.

And at the other end of the scale, we have programmers encouraging other programmers, to take second mortgages on their homes and families, in order to pour their heart & souls in to producing software, that they, (the first group), will then want for free.

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
"I'd rather go naked than blow up my ass"

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Re^2: What I am paid for
by chromatic (Archbishop) on Mar 08, 2010 at 06:11 UTC
    Take a year to write a book. Do nothing more, and expect to be paid for every copy sold for something like 25(?) years.

    At least 70, in the US.

[reply]

      The number 70 rang some bells. I half remembered a headline about Cliff Richard lobbying to have music copyrights extended, and something about 70 years. A search turned up this in which it says that copyright (in the US) has been "life +50 years" since 1976. And that was extended to "life+70 years" as of 1998.

      And according to this, the EU already has the same life+70 time limits for authors and songwriters. And as of 2008 is seeking to extend the coverage for performers from life+50 to life+70.

      I assume that programmer's copyrights, where they are the holders, are covered by the same legislation. I wonder how many programmers have ever received royalty payments?

      Where companies hold copyrights, it seems they where recently extended from 75 to 95 years.

      Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
      "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
      In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
[reply]

      The number 70 rang some bells. I half remembered a headline about Cliff Richard lobbying to have music copyrights extended, and something about 70 years. A search turned up this in which it says that copyright (in the US) has been "life +50 years" since 1976. And that was extended to "life+70 years" as of 1998.

      And according to this, the EU already has the same life+70 time limits for authors and songwriters. And as of 2008 is seeking to extend the coverage for performers from life+50 to life+70.

      I assume that programmer's copyrights, where they are the holders, are covered by the same legislation. I wonder how many programmers have ever received royalty payments?

      Where companies hold copyrights, it seems they where recently extended from 75 to 95 years.

      Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
      "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
      In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
[reply]

        IIRC, this also applies to photographers. It becomes a real pain when trying to put together a collection of old family photographs for a family album. If the photo has any semblance to a studio photo or a work for hire, you are supposed to track down the date of creation, original studio, and try to get permission from that studio (or heirs) for copying. My wife did this a few years back, and the magic year was 1923 (or thereabouts).

        I have even heard stories of Old Mrs. Jones bringing in a war photo of her Jonny, asking to have a copy of it made, and actually having it be a sting operation of sorts (this was told me by a Kinkos employee, scale the accuracy attribute as you will).

        It is said that "only perl can parse Perl." I don't even come close until my 3rd cup of coffee. --MidLifeXis

[reply]
Re^2: What I am paid for
by starX (Chaplain) on Mar 18, 2010 at 19:26 UTC
    I don't know, most authors make a matter of cents every time one of their books is sold, and most musicians don't do much better. Stars, whether rock or music, usually get partial advances, and signing a record contract means going into debt (big time). I don't think the metaphor lines up so nicely. The stars of any profession have almost always been able to write their own ticket, but most just work pretty hard for scale.
[reply]

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