Cease and Desist

["... you mean these fans?"]

Wisdom please ...

I'm working with an individual within the "Print" industry on a solution that pulls together all the departments within an organization in one solution with the exceptions of accounting ( this module is next if I can find a way to do it ). 

Currently, systems that are available according to this individual do not provide all the necessary components to organize a "Print" company.  Based on this individual’s 30 year experience we are building a solution from the ground up based on how he would like to have a system ... I mean this individual is "Dreaming" and I am building ..

Since I am the fm developer and this individual is the consultant ... we both hope in the future that we can sell this system to the "Print" industry.

A little over a year ago, this individual presented this solution to the company he worked for and they were not interested since they had committed to some other system.  We moved on with our development.

Since then, this individual has left the company and he is working for another company and we have "Beta" solutions currently in two other companies as we continue our development.

This individual, has just received a "Cease and Desist" order ??

We are not doing anything wrong or illegal.  We are just organizing better.

There a no trade secrets with an "Invoice" or "Time Card" or "Scheduler" or "Purchase Order" or "Ship Order" or "PackingSlip" or "Quoting" or "Commissions" or "Contacts" or "Notes" or "Reports" ... I've developed "Customer  and Management and Sales" letters for example completely from scratch with no understanding of the industry other than what this individual and I dream up, nobody is providing anything we are doing !!

Since this individual worked for the company that he left a year ago and it is this company he worked for who has sent the "Cease and Desist" order ... can they do that ??

Thank you.

 

[Wim Decorte]

Sure they can.  Whether it has legal grounds is something that you will have to fight with your own lawyer.

[ggt667]

On 7 March, 2017 at 0:13 AM, Mr. Ignoramus said:

There a no trade secrets with an "Invoice" or "Time Card" or "Scheduler" or "Purchase Order" or "Ship Order" or "PackingSlip" or "Quoting" or "Commissions" or "Contacts" or "Notes" or "Reports"

The combination thereof could prove otherwise... However if it's all defined in UBL or any other open standard, it should be hard to patent.

[Richard Carlton]

There is also the issue of any of the product that "may" have been developed while under employment of that original organization.  If he built it on "their time"... then Legal president... says they own that specific code.

- RC

[Steven H. Blackwell]

This is not an absolute standard.  The activity would need to have occurred in the course of normal employment duties.  Lots of nuances here.  Seek legal counsel for clarification.  Also state laws may apply as well.

 

Steven H. Blackwell

Platinum Member Emeritus, FileMaker Business Alliance