Source Code Escrow Services
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Any of you consultant types use a source code escrow service? I'm jumping into the independant world, and one of my first customers asked about 3rd party escrow for the source code for their custom software. I about fell over when quotes came in at $1200-1500 per year, plus a similar sized setup fee. And that is per agreement, so that cost would be for each customer who wanted this! For the equivalent of sticking a CD in a safe? Is there a better solution? Before I part with that much money I'll just give the customer the code on a CD with a contract binding them not to use it unless I go bankrupt, out of business, or something of that sort.
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Any of you consultant types use a source code escrow service? I'm jumping into the independant world, and one of my first customers asked about 3rd party escrow for the source code for their custom software. I about fell over when quotes came in at $1200-1500 per year, plus a similar sized setup fee. And that is per agreement, so that cost would be for each customer who wanted this! For the equivalent of sticking a CD in a safe? Is there a better solution? Before I part with that much money I'll just give the customer the code on a CD with a contract binding them not to use it unless I go bankrupt, out of business, or something of that sort.
Tell your customer if they want escrow so bad they should pick up the tab or at least half the tab for it.
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Any of you consultant types use a source code escrow service? I'm jumping into the independant world, and one of my first customers asked about 3rd party escrow for the source code for their custom software. I about fell over when quotes came in at $1200-1500 per year, plus a similar sized setup fee. And that is per agreement, so that cost would be for each customer who wanted this! For the equivalent of sticking a CD in a safe? Is there a better solution? Before I part with that much money I'll just give the customer the code on a CD with a contract binding them not to use it unless I go bankrupt, out of business, or something of that sort.
Mark Tutt wrote: Is there a better solution? Before I part with that much money I'll just give the customer the code on a CD with a contract binding them not to use it unless I go bankrupt, out of business, or something of that sort. I always give my customer the source-code on CD, if it is an application they've requested to be written. If they want to take their code and get another developer in ... well it means I haven't done my job right. If the customer wants third party escrow, then you just stick it onto the final bill as a line-item. Michael But you know when the truth is told, That you can get what you want or you can just get old, Your're going to kick off before you even get halfway through. When will you realise... Vienna waits for you? - "The Stranger," Billy Joel
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Mark Tutt wrote: Is there a better solution? Before I part with that much money I'll just give the customer the code on a CD with a contract binding them not to use it unless I go bankrupt, out of business, or something of that sort. I always give my customer the source-code on CD, if it is an application they've requested to be written. If they want to take their code and get another developer in ... well it means I haven't done my job right. If the customer wants third party escrow, then you just stick it onto the final bill as a line-item. Michael But you know when the truth is told, That you can get what you want or you can just get old, Your're going to kick off before you even get halfway through. When will you realise... Vienna waits for you? - "The Stranger," Billy Joel
The only problem with that is, I primarily work adding custom extensions to another application where there are a lot of resellers of the core application. My experience is that *some* of the resellers will take anything they can get their hands on and throw it in with the next deal to sweeten the pot. Some of them are very savvy, and if you leave the source code with the customer, they end up with it, 'so that we can support it'. In the past, some of them haven't even bothered to take my name off of things before giving them away, and then I get support calls from people I didn't sell anything too. That puts me in a bind, I depend on the resellers to refer new business to me, so it's not a good thing to tell their customer that they don't have a 'licensed' copy of the software the reseller installed. A $3000 line item with a $1500 annual fee would cause most of my customers to cough up a lung. I think I'm going to talk to my lawyer about tossing a CD in with an escrow agreement specifying the conditions in which they can get the code in my file and see if that will suffice for this customer.
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The only problem with that is, I primarily work adding custom extensions to another application where there are a lot of resellers of the core application. My experience is that *some* of the resellers will take anything they can get their hands on and throw it in with the next deal to sweeten the pot. Some of them are very savvy, and if you leave the source code with the customer, they end up with it, 'so that we can support it'. In the past, some of them haven't even bothered to take my name off of things before giving them away, and then I get support calls from people I didn't sell anything too. That puts me in a bind, I depend on the resellers to refer new business to me, so it's not a good thing to tell their customer that they don't have a 'licensed' copy of the software the reseller installed. A $3000 line item with a $1500 annual fee would cause most of my customers to cough up a lung. I think I'm going to talk to my lawyer about tossing a CD in with an escrow agreement specifying the conditions in which they can get the code in my file and see if that will suffice for this customer.
Mark Tutt wrote: The only problem with that is, I primarily work adding custom extensions to another application where there are a lot of resellers of the core application. My experience is that *some* of the resellers will take anything they can get their hands on and throw it in with the next deal to sweeten the pot. You are in a different boat to me, as I deal direct with clients without any pesky resellers getting in the way. Mark Tutt wrote: I think I'm going to talk to my lawyer about tossing a CD in with an escrow agreement specifying the conditions in which they can get the code in my file and see if that will suffice for this customer. Sounds like a good plan. Michael But you know when the truth is told, That you can get what you want or you can just get old, Your're going to kick off before you even get halfway through. When will you realise... Vienna waits for you? - "The Stranger," Billy Joel