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I'm in a bit of a predicament... and I don't want to go into too many details, but I've spent the morning reading around to see if there's anything like this out there....

but what if you came up with a milliondollar idea that seems too simple to be original, yet if it is, could make you bigger than Google?

However, you have 2 choices.

play it safe, develop it and patent it under current job and take the stipend as reward.

quit current job, and try to patent it myself and hope it's not a dud ($$$$$$).

Obviously I'm leaning towards playing it safe, but the idea is HUGE... yet so damn simple, I don't even want to tell people what the patent application would be titled because that description alone would give the fundamental technology away.
Yeah that's a hard choice. You'd assume that everything that could have been designed (ideas) for the most part have probably been thought about already but of course this isn't completely true. Commonly people would assume this so your probably going to get the 'play it safe' answer......

Interesting, but basically that's how all the others 'hit it', dumped everything into an idea and went out on chance. I don't know ya, if at all, but I've always thought of you as a very intelligent person just from your posts on here among other things. Personally it all depends on where you stand financially and how 'solid' your career is. If your working a typical job, and have the means to go at this, I'd do it in a heartbeat. If you've already clawed your way into a company, it's a toss up.

Playing it safe would be better in the end. How much work (time) and continuous time would you need to get your project on the road? Is it something you can realistically do while still working your current job?
that's the thing... the technology has been around since about 1997...but is just starting to come into it's own now. Think of it as a tool that was invented long before a real need for it was established.

Now the problem is that this is something I cannot work on while employed at my current job and then try to move off of on my own afterwords. If the framework is accepted into canon at my current employer, I'm sure it would lift me to a MUCH higher status in the company...

but that's the tricky part.. you never know... it could end at the patent, and I could be left holding my doodle while some senior engineer takes the glory.

But I have a very solid career... ugh.. I'm going out for a beer after work with someone higher than management who happens to be a good friend.. maybe he can provide some guidance (and help).

i would love this to stay my baby, but I need to move fast too.
Drop your current job like a hot rad cap on a summer day and go for the gold.

It's not as if you couldn't get re-hired in your field any time you wish.

Just one question: Are you currently sober? I've had millions of great ideas when drinking but most don't make sense the next day.

"I'm not saying we're bigger than Google and I'm not saying we're better than Google, I'm just saying"

[Image: Beatles.jpg]
:D
I told you around your 5th terrible beer at Andrew's... you have to be willing to take a chance, but do so in a way that will guarantee you a future. You have a very lucrative career... and ideas sometimes fall apart. If you're SURE the idea will succeed, why even talk about it? Just go out, do it, and know that if you ever fall on your ass, you've got buddies that'll try to help get you back on your feet. If it succeeds, and you go on to multi millions, don't forget the Focus guys :P In your position, I would probably play it safe, but would always regret not taking it all the way if it worked out... Do some research tho. Not to say someone hasn't already submit the idea (not to discourage you) for patent and is playing it quietly..
i think I'm going to do the patent work.. let the company pay for all that mess... and then push HARD to leverage it into career advancement.

otherwise, with a technology so simple, protecting a patent on the idea/process/framework alone would be impossible for myself to do. Maybe I'll regret it down the road, but considering how bad I am with money, a steady job wouldn't hurt.

and yes, I'm dead sober. I'm trying to cut down the booze... but talk about a lightning strike lastnight.. laying on the futon with my broken back (damn work chairs and beer gut), I had some quality alone time to think.
Dude, dont' do anything until you have some sort of protection. (no not a condom type of protection either) The reason, my friends grandfather a longggggggggggggg time ago actually designed the jetpack. (backpack type item that actually gave the ability to fly) Anyhow, he sent the idea to the military and they sent a letter to him saying, "thanks for the idea, but we have no need for this item at this time"...........and less then a year later....WHAM...jet pack was introduced to the Military. He couldn't do s**t, because he didn't have it patented.

that's my advice.

part of my reason for coming online is to build a 'paper' trail of sorts.

but I'm taking appropriate measures to make sure the idea is protected until proven useless.
Slimsride,Sep 30 2005, 11:12 AM Wrote:he sent the idea to the military and hey sent a letter to him saying, "thanks for the idea, but we have no need for this item at this time"...........and less then a year later....WHAM...jet pack was introduced to the Military.  He couldn't do s**t, because he didn't have it patented.

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That's just stupid. You don't give someone you idea without protecting it first, and remember, Military technology can be a direct copy of a patented item if it's made under the banner of national defense.
if you present your idea to the right people at your work they might allow you to develop it with the resourse of the company. you could move up in the company, and have job security, altough if its a bomb you could lose your job.

if its at all possible try to take a leave of absensce from work for a couple of weeks, see if your ideas is feasible, and present it to the right people at your company.
There is one way of "copyrighting" and idea that is pretty cheap, and valid in a court if needed. As a musician, we used to do this. We used to record our songs that we had written on a pretty crappy boom box, then take the tape, the lyrics and every associated with the song, put it in an envelope and mail it to ourselves and we wouldn't open it. The Stamp on the envelope (not the one you lick, but rather the one the post office stamps OVER the stamp you put on) serves as the DATE you had come up with the song, idea, etc. If it came down to going to court because someone had wrote a song that sounded like ours, we could go to court and because the envelope hadn't been opened and the date was stamped on the unopened envelope, the court would rule in our favor.

You could probably use this idea for now.
Raine,Sep 30 2005, 10:22 AM Wrote:
Slimsride,Sep 30 2005, 11:12 AM Wrote:he sent the idea to the military and hey sent a letter to him saying, "thanks for the idea, but we have no need for this item at this time"...........and less then a year later....WHAM...jet pack was introduced to the Military.  He couldn't do s**t, because he didn't have it patented.

[right][snapback]145809[/snapback][/right]

That's just stupid. You don't give someone you idea without protecting it first, and remember, Military technology can be a direct copy of a patented item if it's made under the banner of national defense.
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Whats even more stupid, is because i'm serving in the Canadian Forces right now, if i "invent" something, it becomes property of DND....not bad huh....shitty deal really...
FocusGuy7476,Sep 30 2005, 04:23 PM Wrote:if its at all possible try to take a leave of absensce from work for a couple of weeks, see if your ideas is feasible, and present it to the right people at your company.
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thats what i was going to say, take a leave of absence and see how it pans out.
Slimsride,Sep 30 2005, 12:27 PM Wrote:Whats even more stupid, is because i'm serving in the Canadian Forces right now, if i "invent" something, it becomes property of DND....not bad huh....shitty deal really...
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True, same goes for salaried positions at Ford.

Coming up with a "better way" anytime during your time of employment becomes Ford intellectual property.
if you are going to do ONE THING....and ONE THING only....

do this....


jot your idea down in detail....with any and all supporting diagrams, details, etc.... put it in an envelope and send it VIA registered mail to yourself.....and DO NOT open it again...unless you need to use it as eveidence in court....


this works...and it works well...it's almost bullet proof

good luck man...

my best friends dad has invented something in the medical field...it's breakthrough technology..he's an engineer....it's been patened and there are very serisous offers on the table for it.. ...he will be well taken care of for the rest of his life...
OMG did you invent a perpetual motion based dildo?


sorry I had to.
nass,Sep 30 2005, 05:33 PM Wrote:OMG did you invent a perpetual motion based dildo?


sorry I had to.
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You sound so excited. Are you looking for one? :lol:
get a patent RIGHT NOW!

I had the idea for a game like "mercury" like 5 years ago and sat on it, now it has been done by someone else and its released and its a success... :(

except my design name was B.L.O.B. :rolleyes:
OAC_Sparky,Sep 30 2005, 04:08 PM Wrote:
Slimsride,Sep 30 2005, 12:27 PM Wrote:Whats even more stupid, is because i'm serving in the Canadian Forces right now, if i "invent" something, it becomes property of DND....not bad huh....shitty deal really...
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True, same goes for salaried positions at Ford.

Coming up with a "better way" anytime during your time of employment becomes Ford intellectual property.
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Come on that's too easy!

Ok, I'll take a stab at it.

I guess that's why they installed new hand paper dispensors. Ford's out of good ideas.
Oscar The Grouch,Sep 30 2005, 10:20 PM Wrote:
nass,Sep 30 2005, 05:33 PM Wrote:OMG did you invent a perpetual motion based dildo?


sorry I had to.
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You sound so excited. Are you looking for one? :lol:
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no but it would one cool thing to see and try out... I'll go on the record as saying I will be the first to try out anyone's perpetual motion based dildo that anyone creates....