

Ask HN: Any companies become successful simply by copying? - zxcvvcxz

Very curious because the more I think about one of my own projects, the more it seems I want to make what this other company is making. Without disclosing any details, I briefly worked with said company, figured I could recreate most of what they had myself, and then actually own something of my own.<p>For reasons I&#x27;m having trouble articulating, it does <i>feel</i> wrong, though it&#x27;s not like I have any trade secrets going on - one could look at the product and figure out how to build it themselves if one were so inclined. Don&#x27;t startups have to be original ideas???
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bifrost
Copying is totally a viable business model, hardly any ideas are actually
"new". Zynga made a boatload off of copying other people's game ideas/art so
no reason (aside from integrity) to think it wouln't work.

But there's also competition, and if you are going to do something, at least
try to do it better than anyone else!

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outericky
There are a few original ideas. Many are improvements on existing ideas. Some
are direct copies. Without infringing or theft, or anything else malicious...
can you market/sell/monetize your startup better? Can you gain more traction?

