We're in the middle of hiring some perl skilled folks at work (or
trying to at any rate) and as part of the normal course of things, we
had tend to request code samples from the candidates so we can get a
feel that they know their way around without using a map().

Yesterday we had a code sample come in that sent off danger flag for
me, and sure enough some simple googling found the self same code
(modulus minor formatting, removal of comments and the like).  

Now, there are two options

1) The website stole the code from the candidate
2) The candidate stole it from the website
3) They both took it from the same source  (not found via google :-)

The question I have is, say you're trying to prove one side or the
other of IP issues with code.  Who do you believe?  Right.  How do you
prove you created the code?  Right now, my gut reaction is to suspect
the candidate than the website.

About the only thing I can think is that you post with full headers
and a (c)opyright to newgroups at time of creation so you can point to
a google news link and say "see, back then, that code was mine."

But I suppose that would only prove that you submitted it not that you
wrote it.  

I dunno, I just thought I'd put out the question and see if someone
had thoughts of proving code creationism.

Thanks,

David



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