[derrida]

"If other people aren't working on something at least similar to what you are doing it is very likely a dumb idea."

I am sorry, but that is the worst piece of advice ever. Why bother with science if we can just appeal to the idea that what other people think is most likely correct? Why don't we just give up the game now?

[te_platt]

Newton had Leibniz (and others) pushing calculus. Einstein made use of ideas from Lorenz pushing Relativity. Elisha Gray applied for a patent on the telephone the same day as Alexander Bell. Perhaps I should have been more clear. The fact that most people aren't doing what you are is no excuse to give up. If nobody is doing what you are maybe you are a super genius - or maybe you have a dumb idea.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

What he's saying has nothing to do with science. Most new ideas are absolutely, completely, useless.

Now, the fact that someone else has thought of the same thing you are, has put a lot of time into developing it, spent their hard earned money to market and sell it and just perhaps is making a profit from it, means that your idea is probably valid. You're more likely to make money by doing what someone else has profitably done before and adding your twist to it than coming up with something completely unique.

There are many car manufacturers, brands and types of candy, clothing, tools, computers etc. Pick just about any product and you can find a dozen people making different versions of it and they're all making money.

People are suspicious of the unfamiliar. Sell them something they've seen before.

[wladimir]

That doesn't mean that all new ideas are useless. If everyone is afraid to come up with new ideas, simply copying the old ones because it is 'safe', no advance or paradigm shift will ever happen.

Luckily, there are people daring enough to try something new.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

[shrug]

You gotta decide whether creating a paradigm shift is more important than making a profit. Just don't plan on both happening.

[wladimir]

No, you don't have to decide on the one or the other. They can very well be combined. Profit isn't guaranteed either if you simply copy someone elses idea. And if you come up with a good new idea you might make a big profit.