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Of course, once you've answered all those questions you now have more than just an "idea." You have a plan of attack, a strategy, market research, design concep

by sendos 16y ago

Of course, once you've answered all those questions you now have more than just an "idea." You have a plan of attack, a strategy, market research, design concepts, historical data, etc. In other words, you actually have something worth protecting. So, are you effectively saying that the answer to the opening question is that startups in stealth mode aren't really protecting ideas, but are protecting the plan of attack, the strategy, market research, design concepts, historical data, etc? This could be true, but do startups which are not in stealth mode really divulge all that info (plan of attack, strategy, market research, etc) to the public? It seems that the difference between stealth mode and non-stealth mode is simply in telling the public what you are working on. This is the knowledge that is deemed, by stealth startups, valuable enough to keep secret, i.e. the knowledge of what they are working on.

marknutter 16y ago
Well, it think it depends a lot on who's working in the startup. If it's got several founders of other wildly successful companies attached to it, both in terms of board members and actual employees, then the idea by itself may be worth something. The idea has essentially been fully endorsed by some very knowledgeable people who have had success at picking the right ideas in the past. If the startup is run by a bunch of nobodies, who really cares? Most startups are run by nobodies though, and honestly I could care less what their ideas are unless they've had some great successes in the past.
- stanleydrew 16y ago
  > honestly I could care less what their ideas are unless they've had some great successes in the past. That's pretty shallow don't you think?
  - marknutter 16y ago
    That came off a bit harsh. I mean, I could care less about stealing their ideas if they haven't got a track record. I obviously find everyone's ideas and startups interesting, otherwise I wouldn't be on HN as often as I am.
jamesbritt 16y ago
"It seems that the difference between stealth mode and non-stealth mode is simply in telling the public what you are working on." Where "what you are working on" is presented in broad, nebulous terms ("ebay for dogs", or "online video editing"). The previous post mentions Google as an example of execution over ideas, but the idea for Google was not "search engine", but "search engine that uses the following algorithm ..." And there was good reason to keep details secret. Design concepts are ideas. Plans of attack are ideas. There are lots of ideas based on specific data and current opportunities, and these are the ones people keep quiet about. When people say ideas are worthless, they mostly seem to be referring to worthless ideas (e.g. "ebay for dogs", which is more of an idea for an idea ), not the ideas behind a tangible implementation or the ideas for successful marketing.

by sendos 16y ago

marknutter 16y ago

Well, it think it depends a lot on who's working in the startup. If it's got several founders of other wildly successful companies attached to it, both in terms of board members and actual employees, then the idea by itself may be worth something. The idea has essentially been fully endorsed by some very knowledgeable people who have had success at picking the right ideas in the past. If the startup is run by a bunch of nobodies, who really cares? Most startups are run by nobodies though, and honestly I could care less what their ideas are unless they've had some great successes in the past.

stanleydrew 16y ago
> honestly I could care less what their ideas are unless they've had some great successes in the past. That's pretty shallow don't you think?
- marknutter 16y ago
  That came off a bit harsh. I mean, I could care less about stealing their ideas if they haven't got a track record. I obviously find everyone's ideas and startups interesting, otherwise I wouldn't be on HN as often as I am.

jamesbritt 16y ago

"It seems that the difference between stealth mode and non-stealth mode is simply in telling the public what you are working on." Where "what you are working on" is presented in broad, nebulous terms ("ebay for dogs", or "online video editing"). The previous post mentions Google as an example of execution over ideas, but the idea for Google was not "search engine", but "search engine that uses the following algorithm ..." And there was good reason to keep details secret. Design concepts are ideas. Plans of attack are ideas. There are lots of ideas based on specific data and current opportunities, and these are the ones people keep quiet about. When people say ideas are worthless, they mostly seem to be referring to worthless ideas (e.g. "ebay for dogs", which is more of an idea for an idea ), not the ideas behind a tangible implementation or the ideas for successful marketing.