I am convinced I have the concept for the next BIG Internet web
solution page.  I invision the site to be the next Yahoo and like
Yahoo I expect it to be copied by many.

While I have some beginner level skills in coding I no not have the
ability to put together a site this complex.  The site will need to
find and search several other databases and keep track of the users
and their history.

My Questions are:

How do I launch this without being ripped off?
How can I find people willing to work now for part of the profits later?

Your answer should include actual information and not just a web site link.

Thanks

---

Request for Question Clarification by joseleon-ga on 12 Jan 2004 06:48 PST

Hello, hvacmach:
  To find a coder and protect your project, I suggest you to use Rentacoder:

http://www.rentacoder.com

You can post an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) so bidders need to sign
it up to be able to access your project details.

Regards.

---

Clarification of Question by hvacmach-ga on 12 Jan 2004 11:53 PST

All of you have been very helpful, THANKS!!  Your information has
given me a whole new path to follow.  I think "rent a coder" will lead
to a project now that you have given me the idea about the
non-disclosure agreement.

Thanks
Hvacmach

---

Request for Question Clarification by joseleon-ga on 12 Jan 2004 13:21 PST

Hello, hvacmach:
  So if my information was useful, Could I answer this question?

Regards.

---

Clarification of Question by hvacmach-ga on 12 Jan 2004 16:55 PST

Joseleon:

I would like to leave it open for a while longer to see if someone out
there has more detailed information.  I will remember you have asked
first however.

hvacmach

---

Request for Question Clarification by joseleon-ga on 29 Jan 2004 10:34 PST

Hello, hvacmach:
  Do you still want to keep it open or may I post the full answer?

Regards.

Hello, hvacmach:
  There is a website in which you can easily find coders for your
project, the site is called RentaCoder:

http://www.rentacoder.com

And to prevent being ripped off any idea you reveal to your
developers, you can post an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) that each
developer who wants to know what you need needs to sign before get the
information.

This way, if there is any kind of problem, you can sue the developer if needed.

I hope this is the information you were looking for and don't hesitate
to request for any clarification.

Regards.

Thanks for sticking in there

Hello hvacmach,

The first thing you probably need to do is have a lawyer come up with
a non-disclosure agreement and have venture capital firms or potential
backers sign it before disclosing your idea(s).

An internet website idea is not something that can be protected, the
best you can do is come in with a big bang (an excellently developed
website and concept) and use being "first" to your advantage. There
are always people out there willing to work for part of the profits
later, but you would be safer to find and meet them in "real life"
(newspaper advertisements etc.) instead of through the internet.

tisme-ga

I agree: I am not worried about protecting the site once it is up and
running.  I am concerned about protecting the concept.  Lawyers don't
seem to be interested in investing thier time at this point.

A non-disclosure agreement is a reasonably standard legal document.
You might be able to get one from your local Library in a "be your own
layer" type book. For assistance in how to develop your idea consider
contacting the local offices of the Small Business Administration.

Nolo Press has books with nondisclosure agreements you can use or
adapt.  For example:

http://www.nolo.com/lawstore/products/product.cfm/objectID/F11FE5EC-ADEA-49BB-BA4AB714B50B0F07

The only place I have seen people recruiting for equity-only jobs is
the "online community" craigslist.

http://www.craigslist.org/

I don't know whether the advertisers had any success.  craigslist
charges for listing jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area, not for other
locations.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/help/job-cost.html

--efn

I bought the full set of agreements from http://www.contractedge.com
last year.  While they are American and I operate in the UK they form
a good basis for all my contracts.  I edit them and my lawyer checks
the fine detail.  This is a good way to keep your initial costs down
while providing a good legal agreement.  You could even cut out the
expense of running them by a lawyer...

Note:  there are other services similar to Contract Edge advertising
at the top of this GA page.

Kind regards

Colin.

hvacmach,

There's a columnist who writes for forbes about starting technology
companies and many related issues. Here's a link to some of his
articles:

http://www.forbes.com/search/results.jhtml?MT=kawasaki&sort=&aname=&author=&date=&RD=DM&pub=forbes.com%2Cmagazine%2Cglobal%2Cfyi%2Casap%2Cbest%2Cbow


Patrice