> But when I got here I discovered that I'm not allowed to do any development out of the company, for myself or for anyone else, in any form (paid or free, open source or not)
That's bullshit if they've told you that. Threaten to challenge them legally over that (a simile might be if you worked in a garage and your contract "stopped" you from fixing your neighbors car as a favor at the weekend).
If it is not explicitly in the contract it is not legal for them to say this to you.
It annoys me how software companies think they can get away with things like this.
I would go do whatever software you like (as long as it is not competing, obviously) and let them try to a) find out and b) stop you.
In one company here in France, an employee who was volunteer fireman during his free time was asked to stop it on the basis that an employee must be fully dedicated to the company. An accident in that activity could cause a prejudice to the company.
Here in the UK I believe that is specifically legislated against - it certainly is with regards to being a member of the Territorial Army and I am pretty sure volunteer fire service as well.
I have such a clause in my contract too. I think this is only becoming a problem at all when they want to get rid of you. As long as they want you, it would be very stupid to enforce this since your productivity could go way down when they tell you what to do in your free time.
I've always refused everything but the non-compete and "do not use company resources" clauses on the principal anything else is just rude and controlling (and missed out on a few jobs because of it).
Maybe we should, as a collective, start a campaign to drive out the most over bearing clauses!
That's bullshit if they've told you that. Threaten to challenge them legally over that (a simile might be if you worked in a garage and your contract "stopped" you from fixing your neighbors car as a favor at the weekend).
If it is not explicitly in the contract it is not legal for them to say this to you.
It annoys me how software companies think they can get away with things like this.
I would go do whatever software you like (as long as it is not competing, obviously) and let them try to a) find out and b) stop you.