Alan Knott-Craig testified in Vodacom Please Call Me case

[James]

The invention of Vodacom's Please Call Me service came under scrutiny when former Vodacom CEO Alan Knott-Craig testified in the High Court in Johannesburg, The New Age reported on Wednesday.

In Knott-Craig's biography, Second is Nothing, he wrote that he was standing on his balcony when he saw two security guards trying to communicate. One gave the other a missed call to get his attention.

That was when the Please Call Me idea hit him and a few minutes later...read more here: Alan Knott-Craig testified in Vodacom Please Call Me case

[Fivel]

This must be fun, AKC now runs Cell C and is testifying for his old company....the behind the scenes conversations must be fascinating.

[JudeC]

I wonder who came up with the please cheat me, concept, I don't know what the truth is here, but this is a eat or be eaten world, and if you going to come up with ideas, especially good ones, make sure you have documented proof

[ViperGTI]

I wonder who came up with the please cheat me, concept, I don't know what the truth is here, but this is a eat or be eaten world, and if you going to come up with ideas, especially good ones, make sure you have documented proof

Even if he had proof, I'm not sure it would matter. Usually there is a clause in your employment contract saying that any work / ideas / etc. that you do becomes the property of the company you're working for. As far as I know, it extends so far that even if you work on a project in your own time after hours (e.g. writing and publishing a book), the company can lay claim to that.

Years ago when I worked at Q-Data, I noticed that clause in my employment contract and refused to sign the contract until it was removed. (I was being employed as a consultant)

[GlacieredPyro]

Even if he had proof, I'm not sure it would matter. Usually there is a clause in your employment contract saying that any work / ideas / etc. that you do becomes the property of the company you're working for. As far as I know, it extends so far that even if you work on a project in your own time after hours (e.g. writing and publishing a book), the company can lay claim to that.

Years ago when I worked at Q-Data, I noticed that clause in my employment contract and refused to sign the contract until it was removed. (I was being employed as a consultant)

Yup, ost companies nowadays feature a IP clause.
It's the part of my contracts I often crutenize closest to ensure they can't lay claim to my personal vs professional IP.

[Fivel]

Really don't understand why they can't sort this out internally, the legal fees alone will run into millions.