Writing Samples

[Yves Jeaurond <yves_jeaurond -at- CBC -dot- CA>]

Moira Mitchell:

At the risk of sounding like a jail-house lawyer ...

(0) Though it would be a form of plagiarism, use the docs but search & replace
(S&R) the product name, company name, and any really obvious product specific
commands. Makesure you S&R with words that are the same length ...

(1) Even in work for hire situations, there are "fair use" issues in copyright
which may apply to you.

(2) In your next contract, you can negotiate / add a clause that states that
you have a right to use such altered / original documents in your portfolio
(speak to a lawyer that specializes in copyright/publishing rights issues--a
nice intro to all of this in Siegel's "Breaking In to the Music Business").

(3) Network, network, network with your boss (see Mackay's "Dig Your Well
Before You're Thirsty"). Make it a win/win situation (see Covey's "7 Habits of
Highly Effective People"): (a) your portfolio gives his co. some free
advertising, (b) it's a safe archive of the work in case his co. loses the
files, (c) <grin> he / she won't ever have to wake up with a horse's head in
their bed ... Seriously, you can network & negotiate on this--it's contractual.

(4) <grin> If it's secret Government work, too bad--they may send the Ninjas
out to get you. The laws governing secrets often conflict with copyright. Again,
 check with lawyers who specialize in this field.

Yves Jeaurond
yves_jeaurond -at- cbc -dot- ca