How do I keep a secret, secret?

a reply to: sunkuong

Oh twenty questions.
Fun.
Animal mineral or vegetable?

a reply to: chr0naut

Why what are they going to do?
Vulcan mind meld?

originally posted by: mOjOm
a reply to: Tempter

It's already too late. I've had those ideas a few times in my life too. Someone somewhere is tapping your mind or the cosmic consciousness makes it so all ideas are already known and once you have it so do others. So you're not the only one. Somewhere someone else also had that thought too.

All you can do now is act on it as quick as possible. Otherwise someone else will and you're screwed. That's if it hasn't already been done which is possible. Google it to make sure.....But of course then it's out there.....

Seriously - I don't know how many times I've had a great idea for a product, then a few years later, I see the "all new better mousetrap" on the market.

My problem was always that I'd get stuck at the prospect of trying to raise capital and organize the business to manufacture and market. I never have enough interest in my "inventions" to take it that far.

I sat on the idea for the self-stirring slow cooker for 20 years, annoyed that it still didn't exist. Then one day, there it was at Walmart. I bought one and decided the next really top notch idea is going to be patented and either sold or licensed, as I don't have the means nor desire to undertake millions in manufacturing and marketing. If someone makes $500M off of my idea and I get 0.25% of that just for the idea, I'm probably good with that. One check and I wash my hands and onto the next.

Endangered species greeting cards with appropriate sound chip recording.

Been sitting on the idea for 30 years or so.

a reply to: dogstar23

The person that got a check cut for the action figure patent likely regrets not just licensing it instead. That's the way to go with such things, that way companies will compete and you get a percentage off of all profit not just cut a check and done.

Likely the most profitible invention ever; was lost by the inventor playing a single hand of cards in the 1800's the simple spring... basically a piece of thin steel wire with a loop in it... often found on the end of safety pins, and in electronics like VCR cassette doors, as a simple mechanism in toys and a whole host of things.

a reply to: Tempter

First of all, it depends what kind of product you are talking about. If you mean a physical piece of material or mechanism of some sort, then the best way to approach it would be to do all the prototyping yourself. That would require some sort of workshop, materials for construction... that sort of thing, in order that you can actually build the prototypes yourself, to prevent others from having any idea what it is you are even working on. Depending on what it is you are building, you may wish to purchase a 3D printer, to make your prototyping process more rapid and less labour intensive, but that does depend largely on the manner of product you are trying to make.

Doing all the physical work, the design, building and testing of the item yourself, would mean that you could take the thing to the patent people, without anyone ever getting wind of what you are up to!

There is a clandestine organization called The Consortium that may be able to help you out....They may be rather difficult to track down though I'm afraid.

Try asking Dan Brown.

a reply to: Phage

Steely Dan FTW!!

Thanks

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Tempter

First of all, it depends what kind of product you are talking about. If you mean a physical piece of material or mechanism of some sort, then the best way to approach it would be to do all the prototyping yourself. That would require some sort of workshop, materials for construction... that sort of thing, in order that you can actually build the prototypes yourself, to prevent others from having any idea what it is you are even working on. Depending on what it is you are building, you may wish to purchase a 3D printer, to make your prototyping process more rapid and less labour intensive, but that does depend largely on the manner of product you are trying to make.

Doing all the physical work, the design, building and testing of the item yourself, would mean that you could take the thing to the patent people, without anyone ever getting wind of what you are up to!

I think I'd need to hire some smarter persons that I (tough, I know) because although I'm good at what I do, this would take a team. And ultimately, I'd want other people to figure out the parameters as well. It can't be only my idea.

a reply to: Tempter

Then the only thing I can recommend, is that you abandon your need for secrecy.

The only reason I say this, is because it is far too common for human beings to be disappointed by their fellows. Even if you got buddies on board with the relevant technical skills, you could not guarantee their silence absolutely.

It is commonly understood that Eureka moments... or culture changing Inspirations & Epiphanies are like 'seeds' sown over a open field....

there may be anywhere from 3 to a 1,000 other individuals who were suddenly sparked with the same World-Changing- Idea...

it sort of copies the 100th Monkey Principal, a long held pseudo-scientific premise connected to the 'collective conscienceness' theme which argues the way the evolution of thought & culture & scientific discovery progresses in spurts


so... protecting your secret is a lost cause.... there's a balcony of other inspired people that need only be nudged in a certain way to capitalize on your cherished secret

a reply to: Tempter

Trust madmac5150, I am his lawyer

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: chr0naut

Why what are they going to do?
Vulcan mind meld?

You'd be surprised how much people give away merely by close observation.

Just imagine that there might be people who are gifted, and trained in observation and who are happy to earn their income doing what they do best.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Outlier13


It's Friday night

You posted on Saturday morning.

a reply to: Miracula2

Nuh uh.
Did not.

a reply to: Outlier13

What Outlier13 said

originally posted by: Nivek555
a reply to: Phage

Steely Dan FTW!!

Thanks

Let me guess. The OP's secret idea is to create space travel by creating a mass generator that distorts the space-time continuum and pulls the object generating the field as the space craft projects the mass generator/distorter.

originally posted by: Miracula2

originally posted by: Nivek555
a reply to: Phage

Steely Dan FTW!!

Thanks

Let me guess. The OP's secret idea is to create space travel by creating a mass generator that distorts the space-time continuum and pulls the object generating the field as the space craft projects the mass generator/distorter.

Shiiiiiiiit.

originally posted by: madmac5150
Send me the blueprints, and I will let you know if the idea is viable...

I was about to write exactly that, but um, the best way to keep a secret a secret is to not wait too long in telling everyone.

The standard process is to use a lawyer, but you said no lawyers,

so step 2 is tell us.