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0 pointscryptonector7y ago0 comments

If the approvals issue in all cases where the project clearly is unrelated to the employer's business, then what's the problem? To some degree review of external work is just the sort of thing a corporate legal department is going to push for, and it's not exactly unreasonable provided that approvals issue except where there is clearly a conflict.

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Pfhreak7y ago

I agree with you -- if there's a process and it's easy enough to get an approval, I (personally) have no problems.

However, Amazon's game development policy lays out 10ish different requirements you must meet, including not working with others outside of your org, must give up ownership of IP at Amazon's request, must use Amazon services or provide feedback why you couldn't. There's no process by which any of those items can be waived.

This basically means you can't do game jams with friends unless they work in your org. And if your game jam is successful, you run the risk of Amazon just taking ownership.

cryptonectorOP7y ago

Yeah, that's not OK. That's not like any policy I've seen anywhere.

tjonker7y ago

This is not an accurate representation of Amazon's current policies.

zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC7y ago

The problem is that you need permission. Whether the approval is usually given is irrelevant, what matters is whether they have the option to refuse.

Think about it like this: What would be the problem with the employment contract saying that salary can be decided by the company at will if they usually paid a certain acceptable sum every month?

cryptonectorOP7y ago

I tried to distinguish "shall issue" from "may issue". A "you must let us know [so we can possibly refuse]" policy and a "you must ask permission [that will issue if there is no conflict]" policy are indistinguishable. A "you must ask permission and we reserve the right to say no no matter what" policy is terrible, and I'd not work under such a policy.

zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC7y ago

But the point is that it's not a question of probabilities, but of whether they are contractually obligated to issue approval unless specific conditions are met, so an implicit "[that will issue if there is no conflict]" is not acceptable IMO. There have to be specific rules for when they may refuse approval, so you can ask an independent judge to make a decision if you think the employer is partial in its decision.

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Pfhreak7y ago

I agree with you -- if there's a process and it's easy enough to get an approval, I (personally) have no problems.

This basically means you can't do game jams with friends unless they work in your org. And if your game jam is successful, you run the risk of Amazon just taking ownership.

cryptonectorOP7y ago

Yeah, that's not OK. That's not like any policy I've seen anywhere.

tjonker7y ago

This is not an accurate representation of Amazon's current policies.

zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC7y ago

The problem is that you need permission. Whether the approval is usually given is irrelevant, what matters is whether they have the option to refuse.

Think about it like this: What would be the problem with the employment contract saying that salary can be decided by the company at will if they usually paid a certain acceptable sum every month?

cryptonectorOP7y ago

zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC7y ago

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j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse