Objectionable Post 4

[CarlPugh]

Would like to post the following in the Electeical/Electronic engineering other topics Group under New Product Ideas.

"I have been requested to come up with new product ideas. Not having much success, so am positng this for help.
Interested in ideas for electronic or electrical products involving metering, control, high voltage or high current. Prefer ideas for equipment that would be low volume, medium to high price.
If you have had a brilliant idea for a new product or the improvement of a product, now's the chance to place it before the world and see what they think of it.
Thanks"

THE QUESTIONS ARE:
Do you think the preceding post is acceptable?

If you don't think the preceding post is acceptable, how would you re-write it so that it is acceptable?

Do you think that "New Product Ideas" is an unacceptable subject for these forums? (Such as sex, politics and advertisements)

 

[GeneratorGrrl]

Engineers are paid to come up with ideas. The essence that I see in your post is that you're soliciting others to do your thinking for you. Do they get the credit? Do they get the pay? Probably not. Do they get the opportunity to post their ideas, where unscrupulous people might steal them for their own use and profit? Yes. That is what I see in your post. If others see the same interpretation that I do, you will probably not get much response; people would likely prefer to keep their brilliant ideas for their own companies.


"Eat well, exercise regularly, die anyways."

 

[buzzp]

I agree, any ideas that may hold water will probably never be posted. However, I have no problem with you trying.

 

[IRstuff]

I don't see that much distinction between other questions here vs this particular question.

After all, engineers are paid to solve problems as well, but they're encouraged to seek help here; and this is a problem to be solved.

While you might not get any suggestions from your competitors, your potential customers might certainly be interested in providing input to your future product decision process. This is really no different than surveying your existing customers; which presumably you've done?

TTFN

 

[COKA]

I definitely agree with both GeneratorGrrl and buzzp!

Coka

 

[TheTick]

Sounds like somebody needs to pony up some dough for focus groups and some real market research.

 

[GregLocock]

I can't see a focus group getting very far.

Proud Inventor: "I want to invent a thingo and I need some help"

Focus Group: "OK, what is this thingo?"

PI:"Ah, that's where I need the help"

The End






Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[patprimmer]

In my experience, invention comes from a need. It is being presented with a need that starts the process, not the other way round.

Regards
pat pprimmer@acay.com.au
eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[buzzp]

I don't see any problems with this whatsoever. There are many other questionable threads that should be discussed other than this harmless one.

 

[TheTick]

I guess the answer to your question is, "No, soliciting ideas is not objectionable."

Free ideas are worth many times what you pay for them.

 

[epoisses]

No, your posting is not unacceptable. However, if I were the employer of anybody posting a useful reply (i.e. your company's competitor), I would definitely consider the reply unacceptable...

 

[CarlPugh]

Interesting responses. Will post a brilliant idea here to explain where I'm coming from.

The cord that opens and closes drapes are not marked. So there is a 50% chance that when you go to close the drapes, you will pick the wrong cord. This is very annoying.
Why not mark the cord with a 1" red area and next to the red area, a 1" green area and then 12" of natural cord. (mark cord throughout it's length)
The cord is looped through a holder on the floor, so to open the drapes, select the cord with the red on top and to close the drapes, select the cord with the green on top.

This idea is useless to me and my orginization. Why not let someone else use this idea.
I realize that anything posted on this forum is public property, so feel free to use my idea. Unless of course this idea has already been patented by someone else.

 

[BJC]

CarlPugh
Your post looked like your shilling for these guys or any number of similar outfits.

http://www.lambertinvent.com/inventions.htm

They find people who have ideals they think are patentable and and take them to the cleaners.
For a mere $15 or 20 grand they will help you patent ( or after taking a lesser sum tell you it's a bad ideal) your ideal for curtain cords. Not their problem if you only sell a dozen sets.
The people who do this stuff advertise on the the radio, infomercials, matchbook covers etc. Why would anyone be supprized to see a post of this forum soliciting for ideals and not suspect the motives.

 

[crossframe]

CarlPugh,

You're thinking like an engineer, not like an interior decorator. Only geeky engineer-type (myself included) would see the appeal in a system like you described. The rest of the world probably doesn't want to see drape cords that look like Mexican or Itailian flags.

 

[buzzp]

BJC, What you suggest (invention company) is the last thing I was thinking about when I seen his post. I thought he might be soliciting for ideas for his company or other to make some money. Nothing wrong with that. Problem is, he is not likely to get many worthwhile responses.
I kind of like the drape string idea

 

[IRstuff]

I think that'll depend on who's doing the reading. I'm sure that his current customer base may have lots of suggestions for improvements of existing products or variations thereof.

TTFN

 

[IFRs]

I don't noramlly have any trouble figuring out which cord to pull. The one that is shortest is the one you want!!

 

[buzzp]

FYI - Some of those drape cords are one piece so the shortest one will not help you.

 

[JayMaechtlen]

OTOH-
Some of the discussions that come up naturally will often touch on limitations of current technology and/or test equipment. Every limitation is a potential product or feature enhancement of a product.
Pick a product/area, ask existing users about it or problems it is used with- then post for discussion.
Be very slightly creative, and you can probably learn a whole lot!
(then there's the beerstorming...)
happy brainstorming!

Jay


Jay Maechtlen

 

[nbucska]

Carl:
If you click on my handle and check some of my postings, you will see I am not against giving away ideas -- but I would like to know more about you.

<nbucska@pcperipherals DOT com> subj: eng-tips
read FAQ240-1032