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I have an idea for a web based product, nothing physical, more of an information site (don't want to go into too much detail)
My wife on the other hand blurted my idea out to someone with computer savvy at her work. Now although he's not the type of person to steal ideas I would rather protect myself somehow if it is possible.
Anyone else done this?
You can't patent an idea, only a solution - a way of doing something.
Web site concepts are very easy to copy - that's why branding/first mover/awareness is important.
Other than not telling people, or getting a Non Disclosure Agreement between any parties you approach with your business proposal, I don't think you can protect an 'idea' in the same way as you might patent something physical/tangible.
You can certainly patent software in the US, in Europe I believe it's different though.
Ask Mr Dyson if you can keep an idea (even with your 273+ patents...) when other bigger fish decide its a good one and just start using it....
I have an idea for a web based product, nothing physical, more of an information site
Even if you protected it in this country what hope would you have in stopping it being copied and hosted in another country.
all i needed to know, I didn't think you could, I'll just have to get moving on developing it then
Me and Wife came up with 'Moon pig' while at Uni, but we figured no one would actually buy a greeting card on line so didn't pursue it...
🙄
In my experience even a patent or patents can be useless unless you have the means to successfully defend them. I've been stung by that before, $INCUMBANT decided to rip our product off, we took them to court, they strung it out for years and the legal costs nearly bankrupted us. We eventually successfully defended the patent and our costs were paid but it was a massive waste of time.
You can't in practice protect an idea, and it's most likely you're not the first to think of it anyway.
You may be able to get a patent for a process, but you're patent's not worth much unless you can afford to protect it. Noone will do that for you.
You can protect a brand or trademark, and that can be worth something if it has 'traction', particularly if a bigger business wants to get into that market but your traction is blocking them, or if it's quicker to buy you than build their own (they may have their own competitors on their [s]tales[/s] tails so need to move fast).
Strava, Facebook, Ebay, these are all examples. They probably weren't the first at what they do, and there's nothing they do that in essence isn't easy to copy, but doing that won't work because they already have traction. Everyone uses ebay because everyone else uses Ebay and have no reason to switch.
Your idea is almost certainly doomed to failure.
Do it anyway, it will lead you places you can't predict when you start.
Me and Wife came up with 'Moon pig' while at Uni, but we figured no one would actually buy a greeting card on line so didn't pursue it...
Often it's more about the execution than the idea.
This is another reason you should not be put off and should do it anyway.
Typically, it's second to market as a fast-follower that becomes the most successful. Bebo, Myspace, Craigslist...