What is the name of your state? IL
Here is the story. I began development on a financial software program for a broker. I was introduced by my brother-in-law who owns his own computer company that does all the networking for this broker.
Well now we are not on speaking terms since we disagreed on price to charge for the license. I wrote every line of code so I began to get thing going with the broker to acquire purchased licenses for the software. The thing is that it is on a evaluation mode which will run out at some point. However, I know my Brother In Law has a copy of the working files but not sure which version.
And when I was writing this, I did include my name and his company name in the All Rights Reserved in the software for all the code. the reason for that was at the time after this initial phase with the broker, we were going to try and market and sell it to other independent brokers. He was going to help with setup fees and advertising and legal paperwork but it never got that far.
I just received a Cease and Desist email from him stating I should stop any form of contact with this broker, his client.
First off, can a his computer company tell me to stop contact with a financial broker that he works for? It did not come from them
Secondly, can he use the existing code and reengineer it so that they can use it. I have no prove that this will be done at this time but they relied on this system and now I get the cease and desist order.
Thirdly, the backend is a database. Can someone build a new front end to my database design I used in the application? Is the database part of the software application also?
And finally, since his company name is on the code also, can he legally take that code, re-engineer it (basically remove the evaluation code that stops them from using it), and then sell it for his profit?
If I have to walk away, I will. He has not been pleasant and throwing legal jabs at me since I did not agree with his price to set on the software.
And on a side not, he rents his office space from this financial broker for a very good, low price so I am sure that played into his rejection of my higher price for this customize software. Businees before family I assume
Thanks for any and all advice
Birdo
Here is the story. I began development on a financial software program for a broker. I was introduced by my brother-in-law who owns his own computer company that does all the networking for this broker.
Well now we are not on speaking terms since we disagreed on price to charge for the license. I wrote every line of code so I began to get thing going with the broker to acquire purchased licenses for the software. The thing is that it is on a evaluation mode which will run out at some point. However, I know my Brother In Law has a copy of the working files but not sure which version.
And when I was writing this, I did include my name and his company name in the All Rights Reserved in the software for all the code. the reason for that was at the time after this initial phase with the broker, we were going to try and market and sell it to other independent brokers. He was going to help with setup fees and advertising and legal paperwork but it never got that far.
I just received a Cease and Desist email from him stating I should stop any form of contact with this broker, his client.
First off, can a his computer company tell me to stop contact with a financial broker that he works for? It did not come from them
Secondly, can he use the existing code and reengineer it so that they can use it. I have no prove that this will be done at this time but they relied on this system and now I get the cease and desist order.
Thirdly, the backend is a database. Can someone build a new front end to my database design I used in the application? Is the database part of the software application also?
And finally, since his company name is on the code also, can he legally take that code, re-engineer it (basically remove the evaluation code that stops them from using it), and then sell it for his profit?
If I have to walk away, I will. He has not been pleasant and throwing legal jabs at me since I did not agree with his price to set on the software.
And on a side not, he rents his office space from this financial broker for a very good, low price so I am sure that played into his rejection of my higher price for this customize software. Businees before family I assume
Thanks for any and all advice
Birdo
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