Observations on software engineering at Big Tech and startups. Writing The Pragmatic Engineer, the #1 technology newsletter on Substack. Author of The Software Engineer's Guidebook.
A decade ago, Microsoft relaxed its moonlighting policy: employees could build Windows Phone apps, and keep all the IP & and revenue from these. Not only that, but they gave out awards: In 2014, I got "The Rainmaker" award for the highest-grossing employee app, Weather Flow (which we built together with a few friends. Design by Balint, development by Akos and Laszlo and me: https://lnkd.in/etQPnmzF ). This is me holding the award, in the Skype London offices. This policy was later extended to Windows 8 apps, if I remember correctly. What other companies have loose moonlighting policies, or even encouraging side projects - at least for platforms that are beneficial to the company, like Microsoft did? #microsoft #moonlighting #softwareengineering --- Follow me for interesting topics on software engineering at Big Tech and startups. Subscribe to The Pragmatic Engineer at https://lnkd.in/grXSBkVw for deep dives on these.
I miss the tile design of windows phone apps, it is as easy to use for non-techies as the iphone but feels fresh, it is just a shame it did not stick around.
Thinking back to all of this, I had built the TWiT.tv app for windows phone thanks to these policy changes. I had prototyped it when they released the SDK to FTE's in the field (i was in consulting at the time) at a TechReady event. I showed it off at TechReady to over 1000 FTEs in the biggest meeting it was such a blast. I was one of the first 700 apps in the store or so I was told by evangelism team at some point. I was also contracted by someone and made some side money building an app for them. Some of the best memories. Kudos to your achievement here I know that app lol
Hahahaha really? I mean, do employers do that? I wouldn't sign away anything mine, they don't even have access to my GitHub and won't ever have.
Only heard through the grapevine (so if someone else has better details, I'd love to hear them), but I heard that Amazon temporarily had a policy allowing teams to make side money making businesses to fund team events. One team made a twitter account which tweeted out products with unusually pricing (like camelcamelcamel), with an affiliates link. Apparently the team made too much money, so they weren't allowed to use it all for team events, and the policy was cancelled. Maybe someone remembers the story better than I do. I'd love to hear the actual details.
I don’t see how it is an employer’s business if I do something in my own time and with my own resources and not infringing on their IP. I wouldn’t ask. I wouldn’t tell. If they want to fire me then let them because they don’t have a say what I do in my private life. I’m thinking I might start sending prospective employers a contract stating that they will engage in no projects that I’m not directly involved in without my prior written consent.
I think the only company I worked for that had one (outside of grad school, where there was a strict no moonlighting policy) just didn't want us working on side projects on company time. I wouldn't work anywhere that tried to restrict my activities outside of work hours and resources.
Encouraging intrapreneurship is a win/win. People who are closest to the product can innovate and reap the rewards without going all in on their own business. The company gets the benefit of increased loyalty and maybe their next billion dollar idea.
I worked in a company before that encourages people to take on side hustles and be entrepreneurs. - it's great, people are more effective during work and they retain better. But I think there are also companies that are now going the opposite direction (e.g. the recent news about Shopify requires their employees to have "unshared attention").
Not sure but Windows Phone was a great platform.
Full-Stack Software Engineer at Holibob
11moJust spotted that you worked on Skype for Xbox One. I remember the days of wrestling with WinJS!