Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

Re:Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project by dmurray on Monday June 07, 2021 @01:24PM (#27425281)

There are other legitimate ways of protecting trade secrets, such as requiring people to sign an NDA and/or non-compete before they see your secret sauce.

I'm not defending how the CEO behaved here - it looks very unprofessional at best - but the patent system is not the only or the best mechanism to enforce intellectual property rights.

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Re:Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project by heavyset_go on Monday June 07, 2021 @05:46PM (#27427487)

I bring up patents because of the last line in the OP that insinuates that it wouldn't be out of character for Repl.it to react similarly to competing businesses:

> If someone with an actual commercial enterprise were to offend Replit, I shudder to think what treatment they might receive.

Patents would cover both the employee and outside competitor situations.

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Re:Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project by cloverich on Monday June 07, 2021 @10:25PM (#27429970)

Can you elaborate? NDA is not legally enforceable here. What trade secret was stolen? what legal mechanism actually exists here?

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Re:Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project by delfinom on Monday June 07, 2021 @11:38PM (#27430412)

NDAs are legally enforceable in all of the US. Non-competes are non-enforceable in California. NDAs however cannot be so generic that they act like NDAs and must be time limited and a few other caveats that aren't a big deal.

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Re:Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project by sudosysgen on Monday June 07, 2021 @09:16PM (#27429531)

Non competes are unenforceable in California, and I'm unsure an NDA would apply very well. Not a lawyer though.

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