[paulhauggis]

I suppose this goes against the common idea here on HN that the idea doesn't matter and you should share it with everyone, even during the early stages of a startup.

Zynga shows me exactly why I don't share my ideas early on: A company with more money and more resources can bring the idea to market much faster than a 1 or 2 person shop.

I think the people that keep spreading this idea have the resources and money to 1) create their own ideas quickly and 2) take someone else's idea.

[amirmc]

They were not ideas. They were working versions.

At some point you have to put your ideas/implementation/whatever out into the open (you might even have to advertise its existence). At that point, anyone better resourced than you can probably just mimic your work.

What alternative does anyone really have?