# Starting a business/web site, how to protect code? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [August 15, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/starting-a-business-web-site-how-to-protect-code/64932 "2006-08-15T14:20:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/surf)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/starting-a-business-web-site-how-to-protect-code/64932/1 "2006-08-15T14:20:39Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/surf)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/starting-a-business-web-site-how-to-protect-code/64932/2 "2006-08-15T14:20:43Z")
On 8/14/06, surf [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Aren’t you going to run it on your own servers? ---
**Author:** ![surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/surf)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/starting-a-business-web-site-how-to-protect-code/64932/3 "2006-08-15T14:20:52Z")
On 8/15/06, surf [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > 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. ---
**Author:** ![surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/surf)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/starting-a-business-web-site-how-to-protect-code/64932/4 "2006-08-18T18:02:53Z")
Francis C. wrote: > > > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/surf)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/starting-a-business-web-site-how-to-protect-code/64932/5 "2006-08-18T18:53:59Z")
On 8/18/06, surf [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > 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? ---
**Author:** ![surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@surf](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/surf)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/starting-a-business-web-site-how-to-protect-code/64932/6 "2006-08-15T14:21:02Z")
On Mon, Aug 14, 2006 at 06:33:01PM -0700, surf wrote: > 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