
Another startup launches our idea - eisokant
http://eisokant.com/2008/08/06/another-startup-launches-our-idea/
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tstegart
Doesn't this sort of remove the need for secrecy and development that you were
thinking about? Did they get there ahead of you because they didn't worry
about the sorts of things you did?

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eisokant
I think you're raising a good point there. I need to think about it more but I
think you're right. It's good food for thought. On one hand I feel the need to
stay in stealth till I have a working prototype to give me a headstart on the
other hand if I would have been open about it from the moment I had the idea
it could have allowed me to gather feedback from the start.

I currently still think I was wise to stay in stealth because my idea has no
barriers of entry. However I am going to change my timeline and start being
more open soon. I hope to have a private alpha in a few weeks time.

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tstegart
I think you made a point against yourself there. If it has no barriers to
entry, then what's wrong with publicizing it? Obviously, one person has
already done it. Part of what entrepreneurs often do is think their ideas are
unique. But someone has just proven that its not, and I think you'll see
others will as well. Being open about your idea and getting feedback is not
really likely to lead to a bunch of new competitors. If there are no barriers
to entry, then your business is all about the long haul and other factors, not
surprising the world with it. Execution is where the battle lies now. Getting
all the help and feedback you can get and getting the work done is more
important than keeping it all inside.

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eisokant
This is why I love this site! You're absolutely right and I want to thank you
for letting me see that. It is late here and I am going to get to bed. However
when I wake up I am going to start with writing out more details on where I am
at and what I am doing. I hope to post them here soon.

"A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study." -
Chinese Proverb

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eisokant
Has this happened to anyone else here on YC HN?

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matt1
I discovered, to my dismay, that a company launched earlier this week doing
the same thing I had intended to do. After seeing the implementation, its 80%
of what I had envisioned and I probably could have done better, but, after
wandering around their site and considering the idea more, I realized that it
was not as promising as I had thought.

So, in actuality, the launch saved me from spending a lot of time on something
that probably isn't a great idea anyway.

