Ask HN: Friend wants to go 50/50 on an "app idea", how do I let him down gently? - rwmj
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jonathanadams
"Imagine the most beautiful landscape. Now paint it. Now you understand why
your great idea for an app is only 1% of the work done."

~~~
sauravt
This is genius, I have a feeling that I will have to use that one pretty soon.

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brudgers
By treating the person and their offer as genuine and serious.

It was for 50-50, not some bullshit. Start by asking how they envision their
half of the remaining work. Listen to what they have to say. Probably they
haven't really thought about it. In that case, they will have a more realistic
understanding of the context and what the offer looks like to you. That
doesn't mean they will like what they see, just that they will know what is
rational.

On the other hand, your friend may have thought the idea through or be willing
to do so and if so who knows where things could go. There's a chance that the
magic is there.

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downer83
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_matter_of_programming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_matter_of_programming)

[http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/S/SMOP.html](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/S/SMOP.html)

[http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?SimpleMatterOfProgramming](http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?SimpleMatterOfProgramming)

[http://everything2.com/title/Smop](http://everything2.com/title/Smop)

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puppetmaster3
Here is a post: [http://blog.ethanvizitei.com/2008/04/all-i-need-is-
programme...](http://blog.ethanvizitei.com/2008/04/all-i-need-is-
programmer.html)

But I think the best is that you say: I think this is such a good idea, you
should keep 100%. Let me teach you to programm for free. We'll start w/ some
basic apps. Here is a good book you can refer and a tutorial site. I'll meet
you Saturday's to work w/ you."

~~~
cellularmitosis
I've done this myself, and this is situation is one of those moments where, if
you are really honest with yourself, you discover two opposing motivations
within. One the one hand, I'm doing this because I really do enjoy helping
anither person attain the superpower that is programming. On the other hand,
this is also the most effective way to ensure that you don't actually end up
giving up 12 months worth of Saturdays, because most people will drop the idea
once they realize the scope of what they are asking.

On the third hand, finding a student who actually stuck with it through a year
of Saturdays would be a wonderful experience.

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michaelmcmillan
As you said yourself: He is your friend. If you don't believe the idea is
good, I suggest you tell him. Friends should strive to tell each other their
honest opinion.

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pjene
"I am busy with other projects right now, but keep me in the loop as you make
progress. Maybe write up a business plan and hire an oDesk freelancer to make
a mockup/demo, and you can pitch someone for a seed investment"

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User8712
No need to let them down gently, just give them an honest answer, and it treat
it like any other business proposition.

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redtexture
Derek Sivers has a good phrase:

"Ideas are just a multiplier of execution"
[http://sivers.org/multiply](http://sivers.org/multiply)

A variety of: "Ideas are nothing, implementation and people everything."

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mattwritescode
If he is a friend just be honest.

If you think it is a genuinely good idea then say. Maybe offer to be his goto.
So when he has issues, or just needs to talk about something related to the
project he can come to you.

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andymoe
Ask him if he has 50k-100k for his half of the 50pct...

