Issues regading the ownership of a website
from Paul L.G. Morris: an experienced, respected and qualified Computer Advisor.
You may have paid for a website, but do you really own it?
You have a website, developed by a professional but, for whatever reason, you decide you no longer want the original developer to look after it for you.
If the developer was one of those who has a straightforward relationship with their clients, you would have been supplied with a CD containing the full source, the registration would have been in your name, and you would have been supplied with the IDs and passwords that give you full control. If you have some technical skills, you may want to make your own changes. If not, you my want to have another person look after the system for you.
If you have not got the IDs and Passwords, or if the site is not registered to you, then you may have problems. A recent client of mine wanted to change web developers - he felt that a poor job was done. However the web developer did not want to relinquish control.
I will not go into the detail each of the steps because different situations require different approaches, but the whole process took time and money, needed phone calls, emails and a letter before the ownership was transferred.
As a principle (which I learnt as an Opportunity Wales Advisor) I always give the full access details to a client along with the source. If I have done a good job they will come back to me (unless circumstances change).
If you are having a website developed, ensure as part of the contract at the start, that the registration is in your name, that you will be given the IDs and passwords, that you have both the source code and the copyright to the source (although for some "content management" systems, you may have the right to use the program instead of outright ownership).
If the developer was one of those who has a straightforward relationship with their clients, you would have been supplied with a CD containing the full source, the registration would have been in your name, and you would have been supplied with the IDs and passwords that give you full control. If you have some technical skills, you may want to make your own changes. If not, you my want to have another person look after the system for you.
If you have not got the IDs and Passwords, or if the site is not registered to you, then you may have problems. A recent client of mine wanted to change web developers - he felt that a poor job was done. However the web developer did not want to relinquish control.
I will not go into the detail each of the steps because different situations require different approaches, but the whole process took time and money, needed phone calls, emails and a letter before the ownership was transferred.
As a principle (which I learnt as an Opportunity Wales Advisor) I always give the full access details to a client along with the source. If I have done a good job they will come back to me (unless circumstances change).
If you are having a website developed, ensure as part of the contract at the start, that the registration is in your name, that you will be given the IDs and passwords, that you have both the source code and the copyright to the source (although for some "content management" systems, you may have the right to use the program instead of outright ownership).