A Private Understanding

Josh has asked Nathan to build and care for a private system that draws together the data behind his business and parts of his personal world: Katana, Xero, Google Workspace, and the services connected to them. The system carries a fair amount of Josh's sensitive information, and it carries something of Nathan's too, the method and craft of a build that represents six months of his working life. Nathan is doing this work without charge. What follows is the understanding between two people who trust each other and want that trust written down properly.

Nathan's undertaking to Josh

Everything the system holds that originates from Josh's accounts remains Josh's property, without qualification and without end.

Nathan's access to that data exists for one purpose: building, maintaining and repairing the system. He gives his word that he does not read, browse or explore Josh's information, commercial or personal, beyond what the task in front of him genuinely requires. This is written as it is because it is the truthful version: the work touches data; the person doing the work does not go wandering through it.

Nothing the system holds will be shared, shown, discussed or disclosed to anyone. Not in summary, not in passing, not stripped of names. The sole exceptions are the technical services the system itself depends on to operate, and anything Josh asks in writing to be shared.

Should Josh ever wish to end the arrangement, he need only say so. His data will be returned to him in a usable form, access will be closed off, and that will be the end of it, without dispute and without cost.

Josh's undertaking to Nathan

The system itself, its architecture, its method, its code and the thinking behind it, is Nathan's work and remains his. Its presence inside Vision Made Co does not transfer any part of that authorship.

Josh undertakes not to copy, rebuild or replicate the system or its method, nor to engage or permit anyone else to do so, in any setting, commercial or private. He further undertakes not to open the system's workings to any third party, whether colleague, developer, friend or fellow founder, without Nathan's agreement beforehand. Speaking freely and proudly about what the system does for his business is welcomed and encouraged; how it is built stays between the two of us, and its particular names and tools stay out of conversation unless Nathan has agreed otherwise.

The system is maintained by Nathan alone. Josh agrees not to alter its internals, nor allow others to, and to bring every fault, wish and idea directly to Nathan instead. A system half-maintained by many hands protects nobody, and self-maintenance ends this understanding.

Held in common

Whatever either of us comes to know of the other's affairs through this work, in business or in life, is held in confidence by both, in both directions, and remains so after this understanding ends. The promises concerning confidentiality, copying and disclosure outlive the arrangement itself.

If we ever disagree, we resolve it the way we always have, by talking.