Protecting code of cookie cutter web sites

I want to develop code for web sites that I want to sell into a niche market.

So how can I protect the RoR code?

So let's say that I have two websites: www.sample-x.com and www.sample-y.com

www.sample-x.com and www.sample-y.com both run identical Ruby code but present very different HTML because of user-settable configuration files.

I haven't started coding yet so I am looking for recommendations.

Ralph Shnelvar

I want to develop code for web sites that I want to sell into a niche market.

So how can I protect the RoR code?

So let's say that I have two websites: www.sample-x.com and www.sample-y.com

www.sample-x.com and www.sample-y.com both run identical Ruby code but present very different HTML because of user-settable configuration files.

Who are you trying to stop from seeing the code? The RoR code is not visible through the browser.

Colin

Colin,

Monday, April 9, 2012, 8:54:21 AM, you wrote:

Don’t sell the website, sell the service. Charge XX per month, automate the hosting aspect of it (you can easily do this with heroku for example). Take a look at shopify.com.

Hi Ralph,

So how can I protect the RoR code?

The only real protection available for software today, whether it's fully visible as in RoR or compiled, is via licensing. Read the license on pretty much any piece of packaged software you've bought in the last 15 years and you'll see that you agree by opening the package not to reverse-engineer or assist anyone else in reverse-engineering or to use knowledge gained by using the product to develop a competing product, etc....

The way this works in the US market is based on what's called, iirc, 'primacy of claims.' (I am not a lawyer, but recommend that you get yourself one if you're really concerned about this). Business contracts have a higher priority in our courts than patent, copyright, or other IP. The really good news for software developers is that violations of business contracts are *much* easier and cheaper to both create and prosecute than IP violations. You don't have to prove they stole your code. You just have to show they violated the contract.

Get yourself a good business contract lawyer.

HTH, Bill

Bill,

Monday, April 9, 2012, 9:07:27 AM, you wrote:

Hi Ralph,

So how can I protect the RoR code?

The only real protection available for software today, whether it's fully visible as in RoR or compiled, is via licensing. Read the license on pretty much any piece of packaged software you've bought in the last 15 years and you'll see that you agree by opening the package not to reverse-engineer or assist anyone else in reverse-engineering or to use knowledge gained by using the product to develop a competing product, etc....

The way this works in the US market is based on what's called, iirc, 'primacy of claims.' (I am not a lawyer, but recommend that you get yourself one if you're really concerned about this). Business contracts have a higher priority in our courts than patent, copyright, or other IP. The really good news for software developers is that violations of business contracts are *much* easier and cheaper to both create and prosecute than IP violations. You don't have to prove they stole your code. You just have to show they violated the contract.

Get yourself a good business contract lawyer.

HTH, Bill

Contracts are as good as the people who sign them.

Now is there a technological way rather than a legal way to protect code?

Can I write a web service that all these web sites (with different domain names) would have to get their stuff from?

Hi Ralph,

<snip>

Now is there a technological way rather than a legal way to protect code?

Other than a SaaS offering, I do not know of, and am unable to imagine, one. Once the code is out of your physical control, the only real protection is contractual. Don't think in terms of protecting your code. Think in terms of protecting your business.

Best regards, Bill