Posted by Scott Ellis (216.87.95.64) on June 07, 2003 at 23:49:39:
In Reply to: Re: Part III (INVITATION) posted by Darren on June 07, 2003 at 21:36:08:
Hi Darren,
I don't think your idea sounds crazy at all. Fostering the kind of academic community you are describing is exactly why I built this website in the first place!
It should go without saying, but I would of course be interested in joining your "little family."
In fact, when John C. declined your offer, I wanted to respond... "What about me?" But I thought I should wait for you to extend an invitation first.
And now you have!
Thanks,
Scott
: : It has been my experience that two or more minds working together are almost always better than one. I suggest that you seek the help of the other people here to finish your project as quickly as possible. I'm sure that the people here could contribute many design ideas to the project if they are aware of what needs to be done.
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: I couldn't agree more... and that's why I contacted John... but it looks like I'll need to rethink the plan, do something else. Maybe I will post it here after all.
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: : I know that this would ruin the secrecy and control that you are attempting to maintain over the project.
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: You just don't quit, do you.
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: : There is also a risk that some of the people here would attempt to take the idea and claim it as their own.
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: There's ways to help take care of that situation.
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: :However, I believe that if you document well your ideas and calculations on this site, you will have established a public record which proves you to be the originator. I believe John Collins and many other people here would quickly jump to your defence if a dispute were to arise about the origin of your overunity principle.
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: Quite possibly. Right now I'm leaning towards sharing the design openly but with a just select group of people from this board. I'd really rather not just dump it onto the internet, but I'm seriously thinking about sharing it in the hopes that it will help the project *finally* get completed.
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: : I am assuming, of course, that your primary purpose for secrecy is to ensure that you get credit for the idea.
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: Pretty much. The internet has turned into a haven for thieves and cut-throats (copyrighted music downloading, software hacking and piracy, trojans and back door programs for gathering info, credit card theft, spy cams, virus writers, network sniffing by our government, and on and on) so as far as I'm concerned it's not even a question of whether someone *might* try to steal the idea... present company excluded, of course :-)
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: : I have found that too much secrecy can sometimes be self-defeating in this regard. Good public documentation and the good will of collegues are often of far greater importance.
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: I agree, but that's also why I feel a select group would be better than openly publishing. I'd like to keep it in the family (so to speak) until something physical exists.
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: : If your purpose for secrecy is to retain control of the idea for the purpose of deriving a source of income, then I'm afraid that you may be competing with a number of other individuals and organizations who appear to be doing the same thing.
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: To me that's obvious... and yet another reason not to publish openly. It would get snapped up in a heartbeat... not only by competing businesses and private individuals, but also by scam artists and frauds who wish to enhance their scams with something that looks real... I mean... if my design *does* have a flaw in it, the flaw is so hard to find that even hard core skeptics would be convinced on paper. Yikes, how dangerous would that be to the unsuspecting investor...
: No, not openly... but in a small, intimate group of maybe 5 people or so. I think that's the ticket. Then I only run the risk of people in the group stealing (or leaking) the idea... and the others in the group would all be aware of the details, where the idea came from, who was in the group, when it all happened, etc. There'd be at least a little safety.
: Don't mean to sound weird here but... if you're interested please send me your "resume