Keeping a folder/directory private

I been keeping source code on my workstation and place compiled code for
coworkers on our network. I'm concerned that someone my be able to copy my
source code either by logging onto my station as an Administrator, or
somehow via our network.

I am not much of a Windows expert so was wondering if anyone had some tips
on keeping a folder private? Is there some way to lock a folder or make it
password protected? Or is there someway I can detect if someone is snooping
into my computer?

I'm running A2K2, WinXP Pro, and NT4 server. Just want to keep my hard work
from being stolen. (In case anyone is going to flame me, this is code owned
by myself - not by the company.)

I'd appreciate any helpful comments.

Thanks,
Steve Doman

 

YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. this is not intended to frighten you, but ANY of your
private code that is on a company computer is considered company property - and
no longer is owned by you.

My suggestion? Delete it immediately. Make sure what you deleted is written
over. Keep your code on YOUR private diskettes and if another person in your
company needs to use it, LOAN the diskette to him/her. Make certain your tell
him/her you are only LOANING the use of the code one time ONLY. Otherwise, you
will probably lose all rights to your private property.

 

Get yourself a USB Flash drive. It will hold a heap more than a couple of floppies.

 

go to explorer and right click on a folder. properties tab. sharing and security at the bottom. should get 'help and support center'.

 

You can't keep administrator out through this option. What Steve would
need would be a way to make the folder invisible -- even to those with
admin. privileges. A thumb drive is good but they have a nice bright
green "on" light when inserted and unless Steve has a front accessible
port he will probably have to stand on his head to connect it. (which is
why I bought an extension.) Good ol' 3 1/2" floppies are probably the
best bet.

I'm a bit confused, though, Steve. You are putting utilities on the
network for coworkers, but the Administrator doesn't know it? What makes
you think he/she cares or will ever snoop?

Rename the folder "\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates\{812034D2-760F-11CF-9370-00AA00B8BF00}." Trust
me, nobody will peek.
Oh, call the files 05738357.xgq.

rs

 

I certainly agree a USB drive will hold a world of things, BUT for individual lsp
routines or other code that is copyrighted, it is better to have just one or two on
diskettes and to loan the diskettes out. Otherwise, having everything on one invites
trouble. I would also encrypt my lsp routines (don't know about other code) so some
sneaky person couldn't copy it and change it to his/her delight.

 

Stealth Disk Pro will hide everyting you need, files, folders
access from DOS, Control Panel installations, absolutely everything,
quite an amazing program. You can configure user hot keys to gain
access to the controls.

http://www.invisicom.com it was down when I checked.

Regards
Andrew McDonald

 

Walt and Dean,

Thanks for the heads up! I've got a zip drive that uses 250mb diskettes. I
could put the files there, but couldn't someone access this drive from the
network somehow?

Regards,
Steve Doman

 

TCEBob,

Our Network Administrator is fully aware of my AutoCAD customization and I'm
sure doesn't care about my source code. Sorry, but I can't publicly go into
any further details. Perhaps I'm just being paranoid.

I like the obscure folder naming idea. A folder that was invisible to
others would be perfect. As I said in my reply to Walt and Wally, I got a
zip drive but am not sure how secure that is.

Thanks,
Steve Doman

 

Andrew,

Thanks for the link. It was down when I checked too. I'll try again later.

Regards,
Steve Doman

 

Low tech solution: Zip everything with a password.

 

im sorry but no matter WHAT you code...it can be recreated by anyone who
wants to bad enough....if they use it once and see that it does..
1. change some vars
2. inserts a block
3. chagne vars back
whats to keep them from comming here and going "i have to write a lisp that
does the above 3 things will anyone help?"

Jaime

 

Hi Walt,
you said,
"Make sure what you deleted is written over."

Curious about how to do this. Do you have a way to get the memory addresses
of all segments of a file to be deleted, and then a way to reset those
addresses?

news:...

 

" this is not intended to frighten you, but ANY of your private code that is
on a company computer is considered company property"

So that means if I put my glassess on the company table or leave my lunch in
the drawer, that it now belongs to the company?....or how's about my books,
my radio, my laptop??....

I posted not to long ago a review of this, but you have to view it as a
reminder of what people may assume to be true, in reality is not so.

I mentioned that not long ago we used drafting tables, with our own tools,
like a compass, templates, curves, etc. Did this mean that they belonged to
the company once we were dismissed? or if I lent one to a co-worker, they
automatically became company property? Isn't our nowledge power and
education, and utilities the same as our own tools? Do companies now have
the power to take when it was our time to invested? This now takes on a new
legal battle. Some will argue that we did it on company time, but I would
disagree. Does this mean if I made a sandwich that it now belongs to the
boss, because I prepared it at work durring lunch?

I guess it viewed as, "...only if it benefits me, the company." of course
greed....

 

The reason you work is property of your company is because it is assumed
that your work in your computer was done while at work being paid to work,
thus anything done on thier time is their product.

If you invent something at a company, even by accident, but being paid by
them at the time, it becomes their property. You can try to hide that fact,
but should it come to light, they could sue you for it.

Your drafting supplys are yours "UNLESS" the company bought them for you.

Ideas arent bought, they are created, and if created on company time,
belongs to the company.

If these codes were done on company time, it belongs to the company. I did
this for muy company, and when a coworker left and went to another company,
the owner told me to specifically NOT allow him access to autocad codes,
etc, EVEN if he called me to do it on the side.

If you dont like that fact, then dont do it at work. Code is code, and
alsways can be recreated differently to do the same thing. I wouldnt make a
big deal about it, make a backup copy, and take offsite.

 

I agree whole heartedly.
The "company" doesn't own you and/or what can be considered your
intellectual property.
Did they pay for your tuition at college to learn how to do THOSE things,
no.
Then they do not have the right to "claim ownership" outright of ANYTHING
that you may develop.
At best it should be considered joint ownership.
If you have a thought during your lunch break and scribble down ideas on a
piece of paper
and then that paper is seen by someone else and further developed, who then
owns the right.
The whole situation is becomming a joke.
This is just another disgraceful attempt by some people to make financial
gain
by claiming ownership of something that they could not of otherwise done
themselves.

This is my thoughts only, and I don't really care what others think.
I have highly customised Autocad for several companies I've worked for and
all have
agreed that more than anything, they are grateful for someone's help who has
a bit more
knowledge than themselves to achieve a more productive cad environment. I
take
my customising with me from job to job, and stiil update and help companies
I have
worked for in the past, all without any animonisity or claim of ownership.
This is something we do to HELP each other.
Any company I work for I don't even charge for the customising I've done in
the past,
because it is done in good faith, knowing that all will benefit.

Once again my opinion only, and this has worked well for me in th past.

Andrew McDonald

 

i had ask this before to a lawyer (not a expert in the copyright stuff - but
for forensic architecture), what he mentioned was that only if you are hired
to work as or if is described in the daily duties, the ownership it will be
of the employer unless a separate agreement is sign to both parties
ownership.

 

What a nice simple solution.

Makes you wonder if you'd sign an employer/employee agreement
that said anything done at work belongs to work !!!

 

Walt is correct. Your company probably already owns your code, if you have
been creating it on company time, using their resources, as part of your job
description. There are exceptions to this, but without getting all
legalistic, the common sense of it is that if they pay you to do it, then it
belongs to them. And no, you're not a co-owner. You might be infringing on
THEIR copyright by trying to make the source code unavailable to them.

This doesn't apply to every thing you do. If you write a song on your own
time, it's yours. If you bring in a drafting tool to use, it's still yours.
If you have a bright idea at work, and then pursue it on your own time, it's
yours to get rich from. It's not the fact that it enters the door, it's
whether you did it as part of your employment. Luis is only part right: the
company doesn't own *everything* you do while you're employed there, unless
you signed an agreement to that effect. But they certainly own anything they
paid you to do as part of your job description.

Put it this way: would they sign an agreement to pay you to create code,
that only you could sell and use, that you exclusively owned, and that they
weren't necessarily entitled to at all? I doubt it, since it would amount
to giving you free money with no promise of anything in return. So why would
you assume that's the unspoken contract you're working under? That's not how
it is, unless you're in a place with very strange labor laws, or you have a
very unusual written contract with them.

If you want to own and market your own code, do it on your own time, on your
own computer, preferably on your own copy of Acad. There is no way that you
will have clear, uncontestable copyright to your code if you create it on
their payroll, for their use.

I compile "my" lisps, simply to render them difficult to reverse-engineer,
and to incorporate some protection features. They won't run at all on other
people's copies of Acad, or past a certain time frame. This is purely to
protect the company's interests, since "my" lisps belong to them. The source
code is in a folder where only a few people have access -- like me, my boss,
and the IT admins. These measures are purely to prevent people from being
able to distribute the company's programs without permission. I own the
knowledge, not the code.

 

Do a DOS Shell, use the old hidden folder trick.
Begin the 'name' of a folder with a "."
This should hide it.
Bob