Standard contracts make a lot of sense to my non-lawyer mind, almost like having the different kinds of open source licenses for software that have become recognizable.
This is an interesting question. Why don't people share more of their standard contracts? I have a web consulting agreement. Is there a reason I can't just send that to you? Or publish it?
Hmmm, in the Architecture (Building) world we've had standardized contracts for over a century. They work quite well at a cost of about $5 apiece. I can see how the author, being a lawyer, is concerned by the need of fewer lawyers with standardized contracts in the startup world.
I’ve been working with a new company out of Seattle called OurDeal.
http://ourdeal.com
## Elevator Pitch:
> Business should always be done with a contract, but contracts are complex, difficult to manage & sign and can cost extraordinary amounts if done through a lawyer. OurDeal solves all these problems by giving you bulletproof contracts, backed by real lawyers, templated, easy to sign, deliver and store.
## Free Access
I’d love to know what you think of the service. If you want to try it out, you can get free access to it for 3+ months using the code: HN90
## Types of Contracts
We have all sorts of contracts in there.
* Affiliate Disclaimers: Templated language to plugin to your website if you run an affiliate site
* Developer Contracts: Templated contracts to use if you’re a developer running a freelancing business.
* Contractor Contracts: Templated contracts for any contractors you bring on board to protect you and your company.
We have a TON more, but I want to hear what sorts of uses you guys would like to have so we can tailor them more to your personal needs.
## Workflow
1) Login
2) Pick a Contract
3) Fill out Designated Fields
4) Sign Online
5) Done
#boom
## Feedback?
We think the product is pretty solid, but want to get people trying it out and getting real feedback.
Try the service out.
* What do you think?
* Are there any types of contracts you'd like to try out that we're missing?
* Are you able to find the types of contracts you're looking for?
* Are there any other features that you might need?
* Is the account creation process easy to follow?
* Is anything hard to find or confusing?
* Any other questions or comments you might have?
http://ourdeal.com
Tear it apart and let me know what you think! Thanks so much!
Do you have any suggestions on creating these contracts? Mainly, is it necessary to lawyer up before even starting to make sure your contract is bullet proof?
I agree with Piper's point that these contracts aren't common in tech, but they're hardly unheard of. In 20 years of consulting work I've seen dozens of them. They're not uncommon. This doesn't look uniquely hostile or amoral for OpenAI, just garden-variety.
Contracts in the real world are written with the understanding that they rest on the shoulders of millions of pages of legislature and legal precedents.
I try to encourage everyone to define a contract, code to that contract, and update the contract when it is no longer accurate. The exact nature of the contract is contextual, sometimes a schema, sometimes a well documented comment header or perhaps a project README.
Also, good contracts are difficult to write. There are templates for most contract types but it can take a while to work out the kinks. IP clauses around open source, for example, are incredibly hard to get right. We've had multiple iterations on this topic at my company.
> Agreements are created by a committee of dozens of attorneys representing technology vendors, procurement teams, boutique firms, and Big Law ... Say goodbye to combing through the same clauses over and over and hello to structured, easily negotiated agreements that get everyone on the same page
> In fact, we all use the same set of contracts. They tend to get passed around founders.
Care to share? ;)
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