Office plagiarism

[Necuno]

Great minds...

what I was just thinking as well... simply make it pop up after a certain date, then make sure you are on leave during that period

I bet he won't be checking the code out thoroughly, simply change a few variables here and there...

oooh, evil!

Imagine the message popping up at a client...

Best to keep any names out though...

...even better, instead of saying that it has been stolen, simply have the message saying that the application/module has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down now THAT will keep Mr Plagiarism up for a long while

****, lol we used to way back in the day add the F00F bug into an unsuspecting developer's code...

 

[Drake2007]

Jeez that's bad advice, If I caught you writing backdoor code in my company because of some office politics you'd be fired so fast your head would spin.

Rather improve on those skills that you've acknowledged as lacking.

Also some attitude adjustment, seems to me you think it's us against them (management) and any interaction is considered brown nosing. Get that idea out of your head.

The guy is not "stealing" your code, it does not belong to you in the first place, he is managing you and doing the job that you admitedly don't enjoy which is interacting with colleagues and finding out from them what they need from the apps. Note this takes alot of time and effort which you obviously have given no thought to.

Also - Complaining to others behind his back will alienate you in the company.
So either you make amends with the guy and try working together as a team covering each others weaker attributes, work on improving your weaknesses, or resign.

 

[guest2013-1]

Unfortunately yes. I believe (incorrectly) that skill/value/reward is measured by cognitive and technical ability. In reality thought it is exactly as you say, its about being one step ahead in various aspects, including office social and political aspects. Funny thing is this person has become increasingly buddy-buddy with management. I'll have to start addressing my lack in this areas of my personal and career life as I am very an introverted person.

I can tell you now how it plays out.

He gets promoted to Chief Operations Officer, big pay rise, and you sitting there doing all the cool **** other programmers only dream of doing...

 

[guest2013-1]

Day-yum! That's sneaky! But this dude is being fairly sneaky too...

If the devs in your company don't use one already I'd recommend you pro-actively initiate a document management system, there are several OSS options that you could select from.

Use this to document the code you write and always include a comment in the flower box clearly stating who wrote the code, the date and time and its purpose. Get everyone onto using it and checking bits and pieces in and out.

Once you have this level of transparency it is 100% fair and obvious that everyone who contributes to a specific product/project should be credited.

You now have grounds for complaint should the issue manifest again.

What I am trying to say (maybe not so well) is that this problem is as much to blame on the organisation as it is on the dude who uses your code without crediting you and even you for not doing anything about it.

This is your chance to claim some limelight - be the guy who fixed it instead of another one who just complains. Document management is a fairly hot topic at the moment so play the game, do the research and get something up and going... release it to your 'beta testers' and get them to sell it on to a wider audience.

BTW: You are totally justified in being ticked off at this treatment, your story reminded me of a guy I used to work with - he did thee same thing you mention to everyone.

That's IF you get people to use it...

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Not sure if the suggestions I've put in here regarding the "bug/feature" is a good idea - might be detrimental to your career if it backfires.

So be careful.

 

[greggpb]

Compile it up in a library give him the interface and be done with it..
or GPL.. then he has to give you credit as the original author..

 

[SlinkyMike]

Jeez that's bad advice, If I caught you writing backdoor code in my company because of some office politics you'd be fired so fast your head would spin.

Rather improve on those skills that you've acknowledged as lacking.

Also some attitude adjustment, seems to me you think it's us against them (management) and any interaction is considered brown nosing. Get that idea out of your head.

The guy is not "stealing" your code, it does not belong to you in the first place, he is managing you and doing the job that you admitedly don't enjoy which is interacting with colleagues and finding out from them what they need from the apps. Note this takes alot of time and effort which you obviously have given no thought to.

Also - Complaining to others behind his back will alienate you in the company.
So either you make amends with the guy and try working together as a team covering each others weaker attributes, work on improving your weaknesses, or resign.

You are 100% right of course. But glance up for a second... see that? Its says: 'Software & web Development'.

The attitude is par for the course, it is also the reason that code monkeys stay code monkeys. They tend to cling to an insular and curmudgeonly view of life and other people in particular ...Don't get them started on a rival language or protocol!

It is a criticism, yes. But one made out of feelings of fondness - I started out as a programmer and many of my early influences were exactly this sort and all of them were great people.

I found that I began to disagree with them when I started to take a broader view of technology and found in it a new futurism, when I realised that my little IDE was not the only truth and I began to see the wholeness of it all.

That was when I really fell in love with computers: when I began to see them everywhere, in everything and not just on my desk as a form of escapism that could also afford me gainful employment albeit 'out there' amongst the 'lusers' and the 'noobs'.

Like I said: unfortunate as it is - it's just the personality type. You find me an upbeat DBA and I'll show you a merry Chef

 

[guest2013-1]

Jeez that's bad advice, If I caught you writing backdoor code in my company because of some office politics you'd be fired so fast your head would spin.

Rather improve on those skills that you've acknowledged as lacking.

Also some attitude adjustment, seems to me you think it's us against them (management) and any interaction is considered brown nosing. Get that idea out of your head.

The guy is not "stealing" your code, it does not belong to you in the first place, he is managing you and doing the job that you admitedly don't enjoy which is interacting with colleagues and finding out from them what they need from the apps. Note this takes alot of time and effort which you obviously have given no thought to.

Also - Complaining to others behind his back will alienate you in the company.
So either you make amends with the guy and try working together as a team covering each others weaker attributes, work on improving your weaknesses, or resign.

I think the wrong impression is given, so maybe I can shed some more light on this.

Sure, the company pays him to write code. So technically it's not his code that "gets stolen". It's the companies. And the company (aka MANAGEMENT) doesn't care how it gets done or by whom, as long as it gets done and the money keeps rolling in.

So when it comes time for performance bonuses, just because he prefers not to brown nose with management, or pretend like he wrote some awesome client-cash-cow of a program (which he pretended to do based off of others work within the company), he will be left in the lurch because:

a) Management likes the other guy best (and don't try and convince me otherwise)
b) The other guy "gets the job done faster" because he doesn't have to put in the R&D
c) "You" are seen as just another programmer

Sure, "selling yourself" and being more friendly and open to management sucking their cocks and stroking their egos might be all that is needed to get ahead.

But I learned 1 valuable thing over the years:

Any R&D work I do in my own time and ideas I work on that's my own and not company related. I keep to myself. I'll obviously show-case my work.

I'll show them how I got a website page down from 600kb to just under 100kb with MORE functionality than their current intranet site has. I'll quickly discuss SOME concepts behind what I do to simplify this "framework" of components for other programmers to be able to use without a 10 week introductory course or months of training... etc

So when I do work on stuff at work. During working hours. Doing what I do. I just make sure that I know I produce better stuff on my own time with my own ideas.

Code is just that. Code. Putting the "other guy" in a spot where he has to write something from scratch would probably have you in stitches laughing at him as he clutters around trying to figure out "how". You can put me in any environment without any support whatsoever code wise, and I'll flourish. Because I know I don't have to leech off of someone else to get ahead.

So if they promote him (in the same field, not management) grab some popcorn.

Otherwise, just do your job. If you want out, get out. Implementing document management systems for source control or bugging the software to give yourself credit are all nice ideas. But in practice, won't work. Not if management are blind to the fact of what you actually do there.

I've tried being constructive before. Nothing panned out. This is now with 3 companies. And it's not that I bring an "attitude" to the table.

I do the research, show them HOW my ideas would benefit the entire company and give them open source solutions to these.... and agree to it (that's the worst part, they agree to following this methodology) and then maybe 3 days after, nothing.

So I gave up. Why would you want to constantly struggle and argue at a workplace to get them to see you want to help them... it's not worth the effort.

I'd rather go spend it cranking out some of my own code and perhaps become the next billionaire.

 

[Black Sheep]

I think the wrong impression is given, so maybe I can shed some more light on this.

Sure, the company pays him to write code. So technically it's not his code that "gets stolen". It's the companies. And the company (aka MANAGEMENT) doesn't care how it gets done or by whom, as long as it gets done and the money keeps rolling in.

So when it comes time for performance bonuses, just because he prefers not to brown nose with management, or pretend like he wrote some awesome client-cash-cow of a program (which he pretended to do based off of others work within the company), he will be left in the lurch because:

a) Management likes the other guy best (and don't try and convince me otherwise)
b) The other guy "gets the job done faster" because he doesn't have to put in the R&D
c) "You" are seen as just another programmer

Sure, "selling yourself" and being more friendly and open to management sucking their cocks and stroking their egos might be all that is needed to get ahead.

But I learned 1 valuable thing over the years:

Any R&D work I do in my own time and ideas I work on that's my own and not company related. I keep to myself. I'll obviously show-case my work.

I'll show them how I got a website page down from 600kb to just under 100kb with MORE functionality than their current intranet site has. I'll quickly discuss SOME concepts behind what I do to simplify this "framework" of components for other programmers to be able to use without a 10 week introductory course or months of training... etc

So when I do work on stuff at work. During working hours. Doing what I do. I just make sure that I know I produce better stuff on my own time with my own ideas.

Code is just that. Code. Putting the "other guy" in a spot where he has to write something from scratch would probably have you in stitches laughing at him as he clutters around trying to figure out "how". You can put me in any environment without any support whatsoever code wise, and I'll flourish. Because I know I don't have to leech off of someone else to get ahead.

So if they promote him (in the same field, not management) grab some popcorn.

Otherwise, just do your job. If you want out, get out. Implementing document management systems for source control or bugging the software to give yourself credit are all nice ideas. But in practice, won't work. Not if management are blind to the fact of what you actually do there.

I've tried being constructive before. Nothing panned out. This is now with 3 companies. And it's not that I bring an "attitude" to the table.

I do the research, show them HOW my ideas would benefit the entire company and give them open source solutions to these.... and agree to it (that's the worst part, they agree to following this methodology) and then maybe 3 days after, nothing.

So I gave up. Why would you want to constantly struggle and argue at a workplace to get them to see you want to help them... it's not worth the effort.

I'd rather go spend it cranking out some of my own code and perhaps become the next billionaire.

WOW, I can't believe how well you just articulated that.
My feelings / thoughts exactly.

 

[SlinkyMike]

I think the wrong impression is given, so maybe I can shed some more light on this. *snip*
I'd rather go spend it cranking out some of my own code and perhaps become the next billionaire.

Absolutely spot on for the most part dude - one thing though: this perception of 'brown nosing' is holding you back. It is frustrating you and it is keeping you from showcasing your work on better and bigger platforms.

Developers need to get over that mentality, it is a hindrance to everything you do and it wastes a lot of your time.

WOW, I can't believe how well you just articulated that.
My feelings / thoughts exactly.

You both better have some **** hot ideas that you are actually going to develop in your spare time and that someone will actually show some interest in...that would be a start - then you'd need to get in touch with someone who has all of the skills you decry in these posts to market it for you!
...see the problem?

 

[FarligOpptreden]

Just a bit of a concern here: Is this code that you claim to be yours really YOUR property? Did you write this for the company you work for? If yes, then the code is actually the property of the company and free to be used / reused by any and all developers also working for the same company. Sad, but true. Remember, business is only concerned with the final product. The business acknowledges the developers who are able to reuse code and resources and develop products that can be sold / resold at a big profit.

An alternative though: Why not compile "your code" into reusable assemblies, noting the author and revision date in the assemblies signature? You could even go as far as to obfuscate the inner workings of the assembly to make it even more difficult for other developers to just change it. That way, everyone benefits. You get the credit for the useful assemblies and other developers get to build "nice GUIs slapped onto YOUR code".

 

[guest2013-1]

Absolutely spot on for the most part dude - one thing though: this perception of 'brown nosing' is holding you back. It is frustrating you and it is keeping you from showcasing your work on better and bigger platforms.

Developers need to get over that mentality, it is a hindrance to everything you do and it wastes a lot of your time.



You both better have some **** hot ideas that you are actually going to develop in your spare time and that someone will actually show some interest in...that would be a start - then you'd need to get in touch with someone who has all of the skills you decry in these posts to market it for you!
...see the problem?

I know how to sell myself, and generally I'm open to the idea of being nice to management. But one thing I don't do which most would, is eat up management ****. If they give me **** I don't deserve I'll tell them that.

And I guess that's my biggest caveat. I don't play office politics nicely. I mean, I don't care if you're the CEO of the company or the janitor, if you tell me my work is **** I'll tell you to **** off and get someone else who can do it better for cheaper.

Generally doesn't sit well with them, but if you want to insult me, I'll stab back. I'm not a doormat. And THAT is what keeps me from getting ahead in an environment like that. However, I work for myself, so I don't care much about that anymore.

The clients I have now generally think I'm the bomb when it comes to anything because I can help them with everything, from their business processes to their programming or what they can do to cut costs on IT but not on quality etc...

But yea, I agree, most keyboard jockeys tend to be a bit less social with people who write their paychecks. And the general feel of it is "We do all the work and they reap all the benefits"

 

[guest2013-1]

Just a bit of a concern here: Is this code that you claim to be yours really YOUR property? Did you write this for the company you work for? If yes, then the code is actually the property of the company and free to be used / reused by any and all developers also working for the same company. Sad, but true. Remember, business is only concerned with the final product. The business acknowledges the developers who are able to reuse code and resources and develop products that can be sold / resold at a big profit.

An alternative though: Why not compile "your code" into reusable assemblies, noting the author and revision date in the assemblies signature? You could even go as far as to obfuscate the inner workings of the assembly to make it even more difficult for other developers to just change it. That way, everyone benefits. You get the credit for the useful assemblies and other developers get to build "nice GUIs slapped onto YOUR code".

The issue isn't so much as to who the code belongs to but how the code is used and who uses it to promote themselves as the original author. In a company where it's required to review the quality of code that comes out and based on that give bonusses or pay rises, you'll quickly fall behind if some other dude takes credit for your work just because he has a better interface...

Having said that. Better interface always attract the n00bs. I've seen the ****tiest code EVER but because it's easy to use they don't complain (in fact the opposite)

 

[SlinkyMike]

I know how to sell myself, and generally I'm open to the idea of being nice to management. But one thing I don't do which most would, is eat up management ****. If they give me **** I don't deserve I'll tell them that.

And I guess that's my biggest caveat. I don't play office politics nicely. I mean, I don't care if you're the CEO of the company or the janitor, if you tell me my work is **** I'll tell you to **** off and get someone else who can do it better for cheaper.
(snip)

Not to be funny but I'm placing your age at early to mid twenties based purely off of this post... how close am I? (if you don't mind answering of course...)

 

[guest2013-1]

Not to be funny but I'm placing your age at early to mid twenties based purely off of this post... how close am I? (if you don't mind answering of course...)

lol, I'm 29. I still don't take ****. You can take that to the bank.

 

[Necuno]

Not to be funny but I'm placing your age at early to mid twenties based purely off of this post... how close am I? (if you don't mind answering of course...)

you should learn to distinguish between a hypothetical implementation of something and what we are actually saying. which in this case we are having a piss at using a bug to show who made the code and lastly having a laugh over it- not like anyone really here are about to do it or (i hope) have done it. my f00f bug was a point out to when i was still in dev school where as we humored each other with oddities and not just be there learning like some bunch of retarded robots.

 

[guest2013-1]

you should learn to distinguish between a hypothetical implementation of something and what we are actually saying. which in this case we are having a piss at using a bug to show who made the code and lastly having a laugh over it- not like anyone really here are about to do it or (i hope) have done it. my f00f bug was a point out to when i was still in dev school where as we humored each other with oddities and not just be there learning like some bunch of retarded robots.

Personally I've never bothered making my code hard to understand or putting in deliberate bugs to make something more complex just to give myself credit.

I worked in pretty small companies so didn't have to worry about the backstabbing, unfortunately even THAT happens in a small company from time to time. But heh. You can give me a pen and a piece of paper and I'll write you something from scratch that would (60% of the time) compile first time without any errors...

 

[Necuno]

You can give me a pen and a piece of paper and I'll write you something from scratch that would (60% of the time) compile first time without any errors...

your exam pad have compiling abilities ?

 

[guest2013-1]

your exam pad have compiling abilities ?

I'm THAT awesome

 

[Necuno]

...one of the quickest ways in an interview to know if the guy/woman can actually program is the paper test as well as with spot the errors in this code blocks.