[UncleEntity]

> My homophobic boss didn't like that I had this on my own server and didn't get approval to share it first...

> When I left that job, I pulled them offline...

Sounds like the first boss had the right idea...and obviously not the homophobia.

[thrusong]

I'm pretty sure you're allowed to build little utility websites and share them with your friends on Facebook.

Extra context: people complained about how tedious the SoCast CMS was to use for years before I got there.

Either way, whatever, as long as the tool effected change, I got what I wanted for myself and my co-workers.

[fpgaminer]

> I'm pretty sure you're allowed to build little utility websites and share them with your friends on Facebook.

Your friends, sure, but not necessarily your coworkers, depending on the context. The company might be under various legal obligations with regards to how those photos are used, and sending them to an unapproved third party could put them in serious legal hot waters. That's regardless of your intentions.

I doubt that's the case here and trust your assessment of the situation. I also think the comment you're replying to wasn't particularly tactful. But yeah, it could be an issue in some situations and, like it or not, as engineers we always have to keep an eye out for this kind of stuff.

[thrusong]

Fair enough. Thanks for the tactful and insightful comment.

[nitrogen]

Depends on the state, but often if you make something that relates to your employer's business, even on your own time, your employer owns it.

[thrusong]

I don't know the laws here in Canada but I was always under the impression if you do something on your own time with your own equipment, you own the IP. It's been that way at several of my employers in the creative fields.

I only spent two hours building the initial Picture Perfect prototype, so at least it got something done when my former boss couldn't deliver something after two years of people begging for an easier way.