I received a buyout offer with the terms of being prohibited to do anything that "directly or indirectly competes with <company>". Indirectly? So if I take a contract from a competitor and work on improving a DB engine, well that's indirect. It transitively closes over essentially everything. Especially difficult as I contribute to some OSS projects that a lot of businesses in that industry use.
I just kept refusing that part and eventually they gave in; it's not like they intended to prohibit everything, they just needed tighter language that wouldn't harm me.
My favourite part is when people say part of a contract is "just there" but it'd never be used. OK well in that case, let's just remove it and I'll just agree to be nice.
Indeed. I cross out sections of contracts, initial there, and then hand it to the other party to sign. Most of them agree that what I've crossed out is BS and will initial. If they don't, it's a good sign that they're actively trying to screw you one way or another.
I just kept refusing that part and eventually they gave in; it's not like they intended to prohibit everything, they just needed tighter language that wouldn't harm me.
My favourite part is when people say part of a contract is "just there" but it'd never be used. OK well in that case, let's just remove it and I'll just agree to be nice.