1.0Barna, Guzy & Steffen, LTD.https://www.bgs.com/blogCarole Clark Isaksonhttps://www.bgs.com/blog/author/carole-clark-isakson/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="tDw8vzodib"><a href="https://www.bgs.com/blog/2017/08/09/who-owns-that-software/">WHO OWNS THAT SOFTWARE?</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.bgs.com/blog/2017/08/09/who-owns-that-software/embed/#?secret=tDw8vzodib" width="600" height="338" title="“WHO OWNS THAT SOFTWARE?” — Barna, Guzy & Steffen, LTD." data-secret="tDw8vzodib" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(c,d){"use strict";var e=!1,o=!1;if(d.querySelector)if(c.addEventListener)e=!0;if(c.wp=c.wp||{},c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage);else if(c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(!t);else if(!(t.secret||t.message||t.value));else if(/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret));else{for(var r,s,a,i=d.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),n=d.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),l=0;l<n.length;l++)n[l].style.display="none";for(l=0;l<i.length;l++)if(r=i[l],e.source!==r.contentWindow);else{if(r.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message){if(1e3<(s=parseInt(t.value,10)))s=1e3;else if(~~s<200)s=200;r.height=s}if("link"===t.message)if(s=d.createElement("a"),a=d.createElement("a"),s.href=r.getAttribute("src"),a.href=t.value,!o.test(a.protocol));else if(a.host===s.host)if(d.activeElement===r)c.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)c.addEventListener("message",c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),d.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t,!1),c.addEventListener("load",t,!1);function t(){if(o);else{o=!0;for(var e,t,r,s=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 10"),a=!!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident.*rv:11\./),i=d.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),n=0;n<i.length;n++){if(!(r=(t=i[n]).getAttribute("data-secret")))r=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),t.src+="#?secret="+r,t.setAttribute("data-secret",r);if(s||a)(e=t.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute("security"),t.parentNode.replaceChild(e,t);t.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:r},"*")}}}}(window,document); </script> Ownership is important… especially in the context of a sale. If you want to sell your company, whether as an asset sale or through an ownership sale, the buyer will want to make sure that it can continue to use the software that you use. Conversely, if you are buying a company, don’t forget that the accounting software and whatever else is used in running the company is an important asset! Business owners FREQUENTLY forget about this.  When investigating assets do not forget about the software (and make no assumptions…) Ownership is incredibly important, as this gives that person: The right to reproduce the code The right to create “derivative works” based on the code The right to distribute copies of the code The right to “display” the code, for example by posting to a web site. (17 S.C. § 106) The basic rule is this – the person that puts fingers to the keys and creates the code, owns it, except for three exceptions….   There are three exceptions to the basic rule that almost consume the rule itself.  These exceptions are: Work “made for hire” Code written by an employee in the SCOPE OF EMPLOYMENT  Work specifically contracted for (i.e. project based) in one of ten named categories (see 17 USC 101)...https://bgs.com/wp-content/uploads/ball-457334_1920-150x150.jpg