Fantastic Plugin Idea! How does one approach it?

[Messiah]

Ok, so I have what I think is a great idea and concept for an audio plugin.
I am convinced there would be a HUGE market for this.
I have told NO ONE what it is.
Seriously, I figure a large % of DAW users would go for this... I know I would...


How do you go about trying to get it realised without getting shafted?

I want to approach companies who I think would be interested but you've basically got to hand over the idea...!?

Can you take out a patent/copyright on an idea/concept for a plugin?

Does anyone have any experience of this?

[Darius van H]

What's your idea?






































Just between the two of us.

[BB Bill]

Originally Posted by Messiah

Ok, so I have what I think is a great idea and concept for an audio plugin.


Can you take out a patent/copyright on an idea/concept for a plugin?

Unless I'm much mistaken, you can't take out a patent on an idea, you can just patent the way to execute it.

[mrbowes]

Make it and market it yourself.

Look at Tritone Digital - that's a two man operation.

[Messiah]

Originally Posted by mrbowes

Make it and market it yourself.

Look at Tritone Digital - that's a two man operation.

I haven't got the programming skill, or time and patience, to do it...

I've got the vision and know how it should be from the user perspective in terms of technical features and attributes, but I would need someone else to get into the nitty gritty of coding and implementing...

Tritone are a cool company, this idea would suit them perfectly too... stike

...or Waves...

[joeq]

Originally Posted by Messiah

I haven't got the programming skill, or time and patience, to do it...

I've got the vision and know how it should be from the user perspective in terms of technical features and attributes, but I would need someone else to get into the nitty gritty of coding and implementing...

You need a programmer you can trust. Great ideas are cheap. The skills and effort to turn those ideas into reality is where the value lies.

Are you even sure it can be done? I mean without programming skills, do you know for sure that your idea isn't some pie-in-the-sky pipe dream? I might have an "idea" for a plug in that removes hi-hat from the overheads, but I suspect most programmers would say 'how the hell am I supposed to do that'? It's more of a 'goal' than an 'idea' - like a plug-in that tells you tomorrow's winning lottery numbers.


I don't think you can patent an idea, but you can copyright a name. So if I had the perfect name for my plug-in: "hat-be-gone" I could copyright that. Maybe a few others, it might give the programmers a slightly bigger incentive to not screw me.

[kats]

See a lawyer. Essentially what will happen is that the programmers will be employees of you and will have no intellectual rights to what they create etc etc depending on how you structure the contract.

Similar to a scientist who works for a drug company.

[zimv20]

Originally Posted by joeq

So if I had the perfect name for my plug-in: "hat-be-gone"

how about "You're giving me the hi-hat!"

[u b k]

Originally Posted by joeq

I don't think you can patent an idea, but you can copyright a name. So if I had the perfect name for my plug-in: "hat-be-gone" I could copyright that.

** nitpick alert **

you can't copyright a name, but you can trademark a product or service name, as well as a tagline that accompanies it. the product must exist, or the service being rendered, in order to register a trademark. a trademark's protection only extends to products or services that serve a similar market and purpose within that market. so the protection is not there to prevent anyone else from using the name, it's there to prevent confusion to consumers who may think tyde fabric softener is made by the same folks who give us tide laundry detergent.

ubik, e.g., is the title of a book by philip k. dick. it is also the registered trademark for a company that provides musical services and entertainment (that'd be me). there's also a ubikmusic, which is a record label, and that name is protected as well, because the nature of, and market for, our services is different.

ahh, the law... wherever would we be without its comforting, protective arms?


gregoire
del ubik

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by Messiah

Ok, so I have what I think is a great idea and concept for an audio plugin.
I am convinced there would be a HUGE market for this.
I have told NO ONE what it is.
Seriously, I figure a large % of DAW users would go for this... I know I would...


How do you go about trying to get it realised without getting shafted?

I want to approach companies who I think would be interested but you've basically got to hand over the idea...!?

Can you take out a patent/copyright on an idea/concept for a plugin?

Does anyone have any experience of this?

Ill program it for ya. I do directx/C++/assembly

[joeq]

Originally Posted by u b i k

so the protection is not there to prevent anyone else from using the name, it's there to prevent confusion to consumers who may think tyde fabric softener is made by the same folks who give us tide laundry detergent.

or to prevent confusion to consumers who might think that 'Monster' vintage t-shirts are are from the same folks who make Monster cable!

[timmcallister]

Originally Posted by Messiah

How do you go about trying to get it realised without getting shafted?

I want to approach companies who I think would be interested but you've basically got to hand over the idea...!?

Can you take out a patent/copyright on an idea/concept for a plugin?

Does anyone have any experience of this?

I am a software architect for a fortune 10 company by day, have managed an Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio, have a few patents of my own, and regularly need to deal with non-disclosure issues with external partners, so I've been through a lot of this kind of stuff (but I am not a lawyer :-).

The patent process requires research and a lot of disclosure about existing patents or offerings, documentation and an attorney to tell you what part of the idea is worth trying to patent. It is a long and expensive process. Protecting yourself internationally complicates this somewhat as well.

You are asking if you should patent your idea before letting someone build it. My sense is that won't provide you much protection. I personally have patents based on software alogorithms, and software component subsystems. In both these cases, the attornies selected a very small, extreamly unique point to patent. No one has a broad patent on compressors, or eqs, or reverbs. If they have patents at all, they are probably pretty specific. It would be hard to protect the "general" idea.

You may find a non disclosure agreement (NDA) would be an appropriate tool. This would allow you to discuss or present your idea to a company without fear they could "steal it". However NDAs present a whole new set of problems. Many companies have no desire to see your ideas due to potential risk of IP contamination. What if they are already working on something similar to your idea? Some "800lb gorilla" companies (microsoft for example) state that anything you show them belongs to them. Why do record companies not open unsolicited submissions?

If you really really really think you have a unique (patentable) AND profitable (cause it's gonna be expensive) idea, you should see a software IP attorney.

otherwise, find someone who can write plugins in C++ and have a whirl.


good luck!!!!

[jbuntz]

I was thinking i was going to do the same thing a while back. I kept hearing that there is no money to be made writing plugins and the amount of work required is not worth it unless you love writing plugins. Several of my ideas became reality which also is kind of frustrating. If you find a way to do this, tell me.

[timmcallister]

Originally Posted by joeq

You need a programmer you can trust. Great ideas are cheap. The skills and effort to turn those ideas into reality is where the value lies.

How true.

I think I heard it said once, great ideas are worthless. A great idea with an implementation plan is worth a million bucks.

plan the work, work the plan.


If you are going to use a programmer, you'll have to
A.) Pay them up front, call it a "work for hire", have them sign non-competes and NDAs.
B.) Partner with someone. But if someone came to me and said "Hey I have a great idea, why don't you put a few hundred hours into it and I'll give you 10%" I'd tell them to take a hike.

Don't ever underestimate the value of the person who can "get it done"

[timmcallister]

Originally Posted by jbuntz

I was thinking i was going to do the same thing a while back. I kept hearing that there is no money to be made writing plugins and the amount of work required is not worth it unless you love writing plugins. Several of my ideas became reality which also is kind of frustrating. If you find a way to do this, tell me.

there is no money to be made writing plugins and the amount of work required is not worth it unless you love writing plugins.

sounds a little like the music business

[jtienhaara]

Originally Posted by Messiah

I haven't got the skill, or time and patience, to do it...

Hey I've got a great song in my head, but I can't play any instruments and can't be bothered learning any. Can someone tell me how to get rich off my song?

http://www.sourceforge.net

[js1]

Lots of good advice here. If you still want to give it a shot...

If you know what it will take to get the result you want (from an audio/physics perspective), then hire a programmer and let him have at it.

If you don't know that, then you have a research project, not a development project.

Approaching a company with an idea is not likely to work. Most companies have an excess of ideas and projects on their plates that they already have a perceived need/proven business case for. And audio companies don't have deep pockets.

Approaching a company with a solid demo/nearly completed product will have a higher (not great, but higher) success rate. Because they can get it to market quicker, and you've demonstrated the value with the results.

There's nothing much you can do to protect yourself. Even if you have a patent, do you have the resources to defend it? The court case will cost more than the revenues. And if it's easy to implement, competitors will do their version anyway.

Protection paranoia is a newbie mistake, and will send a message to a company that you will be difficult to deal with. Have a mutual NDA, and do an in person demo of your prototype. Don't leave anything behind. Not perfect, but probably the best you can do.

Good luck.

js

[Messiah]

All good advice guys, thanks.

So in terms of approaching companies, no body thinks it's that good an idea?
I do have specific companies in mind who I believe the idea would be suited to, and also that they probably have existing code for there own plugins that could serve as a basis for realising my idea...

Is this off base?

[Messiah]

Originally Posted by jtienhaara

Hey I've got a great song in my head, but I can't play any instruments and can't be bothered learning any. Can someone tell me how to get rich off my song?

I think your analogy is a bit flippant and condescending.

I realise me saying 'I haven't got the skill, or time and patience, to do it...' sounds like I'm being lazy but it's meant more as a critical self-appraisal of my skills (I'm not a programmer) and a respect of the knowledge I have for people who specialise in programming, etc..

In musical terms, as you put it, it is more like the guy who can play a great song on an acoustic who needs to hook up with a producer, engineer, other musicians, etc...

[zimv20]

Originally Posted by Messiah

So in terms of approaching companies, no body thinks it's that good an idea?

i don't think it's that bad an idea, depending on what you expect to get out of your idea. if the company executed the idea, marketed it and handled all the tranactions while paying you a royalty on each sale, would that satisfy you?

regardless, i think it's a safe start to contact the companies you have in mind and, without even explaining your idea, ask them if they'd even consider working that way. if no one does, then your choice is made for you.

if someone bites, the next step is the NDA.

[Oldone]

I started a game software company because I had a great idea. 4 years later we produced the product. The idea and the creation of a product mean nothing, unless you love making software. A distribution channel and marketing determine success and this is what separates the hobbyist from the potential business person.

Someone above said create a plan for implementation, he was right. Your idea is just a starting point. Create a plan, interest other people. Once you have a team you can seek funding. If you can't get funding, keep your day job.

The alternative is to keep it a small one or two man operation in your spare time, work hard for little money and hope for the best.

[jtienhaara]

Originally Posted by Messiah

I think your analogy is a bit flippant and condescending.

I realise me saying 'I haven't got the skill, or time and patience, to do it...' sounds like I'm being lazy but it's meant more as a critical self-appraisal of my skills (I'm not a programmer) and a respect of the knowledge I have for people who specialise in programming, etc..

In musical terms, as you put it, it is more like the guy who can play a great song on an acoustic who needs to hook up with a producer, engineer, other musicians, etc...

So which part of the music is it that you play then? As a computer programmer who has worked his ass off (and, 7 times out of 10, failed) to get his "ideas" turned into concrete software, both with and without others involved, I don't see that you bring anything to the table. And judging by my experience in software companies of all sizes, I would say that your "idea" has no chance of being considered for implementation, unless you're a big customer at one of said companies -- then they'll work with you on implementation, possibly charge you consulting fees, and sell you the end product.

The link I provided above (SourceForge) is your only chance to realize your "idea", without taking the time to do it yourself, IMHO. Get some open source programmers who love programming to take your idea and run with it. That way you'll be able to use the product, even if you don't get rich off your "idea".

As far as I can tell, you'll never make money at this anyway, no matter how many lawyers you hire. I may be flippant and condescending, but I'm also trying to do you a favour by saying "forget the get-rich-quick bullshit, just make it happen." As a few people have mentioned above, ideas are worthless. Especially ideas from people who don't have the first clue how to implement them, and don't want to take the time to learn. Hard work is the only way to get off the ground in any business venture.