The issue you describe is the reason for patents. The guy that wrote the software should should have gotten a patent. But the bigger issue is why we need tort reform in this nation. We should go to a loser pay system and make it harder to sue people. This guy never would have filed if he was at risk of paying the other guys attorney fees.
>> This guy never would have filed if he was at risk of paying the other guys attorney fees.
Bingo! That system is in place in the U.K.
I had a wealthy neighbor (high value horses, fancy cars, etc.) who said he “owned a small printing company”. Since my first job after college was in the production department of a New York advertising agency, I initiated shop talk and quickly “hit bottom” with him. I was surprised, and initially said nothing.
Some years later, he approached me regarding setting up a neighborhood wireless system on my 80’ ham radio tower. He offered to finance the whole thing and split the profits with me. Previously, he had made several large verbal commitments within our congregation, but never followed through with the $$s.
I was nervous. I casually said: “OK, I’ll think about it, but first, tell me what you REALLY do.” Turned out that the SOB made a business of suing businesses for “idea infringement”. His was creative and his mind ran a mile a minute.
He kept a BOUND logbook of all his ideas; whenever he came up with something, he’d write it down and date it. He’d frequently have the pages notarized (to be able to prove in court the date of his idea). Then, every month or so, he’d pass copies of the pages off to his lawyers and they’d go fishing for someone to sue. He never did sh*t with any of the ideas. I never spoke to him again.
His poor wife had a slow death (cancer?); he had kept a honey on the side for years, dumped her care on his grown daughter, and was married to the slut within months after she died. Nice guy.