Hello
I think I was able to to sum up the heading to this write up.
As you know its hard and time consuming for any developer to start a task from scratch and having purchased a source, re organise, implement, added features and different module and becomes a huge effort, I would not want it to land in the hand of other persons who may go online to sell it or at worst start a similar competition with me easily.
Am interested in setting up a team to work with me in an idea… How do I then make sure this same team do not steal my business model as well as copying the entire source code that take over 3 years to complete its features?
Discuss with your lawyer?
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How do you know how and who is selling your projects online? What role has a lawyer got to do with that? He has access to source code of course and what stops him doing what ever he wants?
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A lawyer will help you make an agreement between you and your team members. This agreement gives you the right to sue them if they ever use the idea or product in anyway not permitted by that agreement.
I think in a team, trust is important. You must be able to trust your team members up to a certain point because if you don’t, even with the agreement signed you will still be suspicious of them everyday and that will hurt your business.
In my opinion, a business is more than an idea or a bunch of code. If they are unable to execute as well as you can then you shouldn’t worry and If they are able to execute as well or maybe better than you are, then you sue them.
Don’t listen to me. I have no experience building a business.
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Nope I would prefer a more professional point of view. How are established organisations such as FB, Viber, whatsapp etc are updated? In line with that is what am asking… a team works on it, what are the pros and cons?
Source code is nothing, Execution is everything.
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none techie response… if source code is your project, depending on what you know about source…you can leave yours at any garage if you want
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Sometimes it helps to get a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in place. Not sure if they are absolute but its always a good place to start. Would also suggest you get this done through a qualified lawyer.
Also if you are so inclined and able you might want to consider applying for copyright - yes believe it or not Nigerian law to some extent does support copyright for software but this too is not absolute but again it gives you some measure of a comfort zone to begin engaging potential partners and co-workers.
You dont know how codes are sold online that why you are talking about a mere NDA … that is nothing and also copyright on your own software, that does not mean with your code I can not make other software…How do know that I use your code… Its easy to sell and purchase source
Well my good friend if all that fails you have indeed found yourself in a bit of a pickle. You are right though nothing is 100% full proof.
Well, let me put it straight to you. You can’t! There’s no absolute way you can protect your source code. If what you create actually sells, people are going to find a way to steal or copy it. That’s why, beyond the idea or product, you must have a competitive advantage - something only you can do or what you can do better than others.
However, you should have some form of IP, that would be a copyright in this case in Nigeria. Or if it’s patentable, then get one. No one signs an NDA with his/her team members. The reason for getting an IP is not to prevent IP theft. The reason is to give you an edge in the market. I will advice you to consult an IP attorney for clarifications.
You’d better take note of this! They say experience is the best teacher. If you haven’t realized this now, with time you will.
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First of all. I commend you for not being foolish. Most of the commenters try to push you around. But you kept reminding them what needs to be reminded. The law is after the fact. and Nigeria is a jungle. Where people are fine with the consequences after the fact, if people see that millions are been made, they’ll copy it. People copy even the finished products, how much more the main source code. Will you be running up and down to say stop this, or stop that. Hiring lawyer and police up and down.
And when will you really make money. after-all you keep running up and down. What has worked for me as I have build a few software. a few proprietary is to spend money overseas with experienced developers. However working with local players to improve the user experience, but the code itself is not made available to them.
I should add that you can only file a civil case against them in case they go against your contractual agreement with them. if that in itself can be ignored!.. Even a criminal case with a good lawyer they can screw you up. And they will only get a slap on the wrist. I know cos, I am a stubborn person who have experienced these
You don’t have a product and you’re worrying about someone stealing your source code? I want to believe you’ve done your market research and found a market fit for your potential product, if not, you’re worrying about the wrong thing here.
As pointed out earlier, execution is key. Stop worrying and start building.
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Lol, the way you said the don’t listen to me tho. 
@Damola Iam really impressed with your professional response… You touched my soul and talked as if you are with a me in my real idea. I have spent money overseas developing this project as well…Please advise how would the local player (local team) work on or improve on the user experience, without making the code available to them to implement some new features, for example “an app” Those who referred to the intellectual properties and all that are far from the real reason for this thread.
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As a matter of fact, the user experience of an item is mostly an effect of the way the it’s been used. It’s your job to create a system that works. It’s the job of the people using it, to make recommendations as to how better what they are using should work. They must be reminded that old and present things are past away. Behold, all things can change and become new. And you must find ways to commend them for their innovative attitude…
That did not go down well with me… The question still remains… having had the foreign expert worked on the project and delivered to you, how then will your local team continue working on it without touching code? You have not addressed that part.
I haven’t gotten to that level yet.
What I have done is to develop several working programs. Which have in turn been used, and recommendations have been made by local users, and modifications made by the foreign developers.
Am not getting encouraged with this thread… seems everyone ran out of the original idea of how things work!