Getting an Independent Project Started? 229
nightgeometry writes "Just as everyone has a book in them, as the saying goes, maybe everyone has a software project in them. I have an idea for a project; it is something I would want, but googling doesn't find me anything similar. My programming skills are not amazing, to say the least, but I can design and QA. I'd happily learn to code, but lets face it — getting to a good standard would take me years, by which time I would be bored of the project. So, my question is: in this situation, should I set up a project on SourceForge and hope to attract some developers there? (And if so, how do I attract developers?) Should I try a rent-a-coder type of site and outsource the work, or perhaps attempt to approach developers personally and share the idea, or something else entirely? I think the project could be worth something, but I'd certainly open source the idea if it got me the app I want. Then again, I am happy to invest some cash in the idea, and thus cover said outsource costs — it isn't a huge project that I am considering, and I really think a competent developer could probably get the thing done in a week or less (I'm not in cloud cuckoo land here; I've worked in the software industry for over ten years, and I'm confident that it's a fairly simple idea). To me, the question is interesting in two ways. Once I have a specific idea, what are next steps? Then, in general, what do people do at this stage (and this isn't specifically a software question; it would apply just as well if I thought I had a good design for a new engine or a new type of beer)?"
try cambrian house (Score:1, Informative)
Try http://www.cambrianhouse.com/ it's a crowdsourcing site, sharing ideas and skills. Maybe it will work for you. they didn't like my idea of a quelength website to publicly monitor queues at various places I go like passport offices.
Re:Have you been approached?? (Score:3, Informative)
Well there will be no possibility of work without that idea phase so you can see why they think that. Maybe it should be "the idea phase is worth 90% and the implementation phase is worth another 90%."
Seriously though, I know what you mean. I've known many guys who get stuck with the "it was my idea so I should stay in control and most of the profit should be mine" syndrome. I try to explain that ending up owning 10% of something that makes millions is a lot better than owning 90% of something that makes thousands or even nothing. They nod their heads up and down and agree and then proceed to ignore it. When the time comes to give up control they just can't do it. And the brighter they are the worse it is because they are convinced they can run everything - make the design decisions, make the marketing decisions, make the HR decisions, handle the financing etc. And even when they manage to give those up they still want to be "big cheese" and tell the experts how to do their jobs or veto the decisions of the experts.
I'm not sure I'd do any better in their position though.
Re:Ideas are cheap (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Have you been approached?? (Score:3, Informative)