Advice needed on protection of an idea ?

[Chubby]

Hey Chaps,

I've an idea for an application that I want to take to a company that develops the type of application I'm thinking of. I want to collaborate with this company (or one like it) in developing the idea but I don't want them saying something like "No, not really interested" then going off and developing it on their own ?

Any ways you reckon I can protect the idea without painfully copyrighting etc ??????

Thanks

Chubby..

[Hack]

Any ways you reckon I can protect the idea without painfully copyrighting etc ??????

No.

Your best bet would be to fully develop this idea, and when you present leave out a substantial portion of what would be needed to make it work until you have something in writing specifically stipulating your roll/position in the project.

[techgnome]

Unfortunately you can't copyright an idea.... but it could be patented... maybe.

As Hack noted, you would have to fully develop the idea and then copyright it (isn't really all that painful, and only costs 30$USD in the US, other locations will vary).

See http://www.copyright.gov/ for more info.

-tg

[Chubby]

~Thanks for the help ~

I'd love to fully develop this idea but simply don't have the time at the moment. IF somebody also 'bought into' the idea, i.e. was fully sure it was a winner I suppose I'd be spurred on to make it happen, I've contacted a company that delivers very similar products and am planning a meeting with them to see if they're interested in collaboration..... just trying to protect the idea to the degree that they don't go off and do it on their own...

cheers

Chubby..