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Getting an Independent Project Started?

Posted by Soulskill on from the inspiration-vs-perspiration dept.

nightgeometry writes "Just as everyone has a book in them, as the saying goes, maybe everyone has a software project in them. I have an idea for a project; it is something I would want, but googling doesn't find me anything similar. My programming skills are not amazing, to say the least, but I can design and QA. I'd happily learn to code, but lets face it — getting to a good standard would take me years, by which time I would be bored of the project. So, my question is: in this situation, should I set up a project on SourceForge and hope to attract some developers there? (And if so, how do I attract developers?) Should I try a rent-a-coder type of site and outsource the work, or perhaps attempt to approach developers personally and share the idea, or something else entirely? I think the project could be worth something, but I'd certainly open source the idea if it got me the app I want. Then again, I am happy to invest some cash in the idea, and thus cover said outsource costs — it isn't a huge project that I am considering, and I really think a competent developer could probably get the thing done in a week or less (I'm not in cloud cuckoo land here; I've worked in the software industry for over ten years, and I'm confident that it's a fairly simple idea). To me, the question is interesting in two ways. Once I have a specific idea, what are next steps? Then, in general, what do people do at this stage (and this isn't specifically a software question; it would apply just as well if I thought I had a good design for a new engine or a new type of beer)?"

7 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. FP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Use Functional Programming!

    1. Re:FP by smittyoneeach · · Score: 4, Funny

      In the face of the overwhelming popularity of dysfunctional programming?
      Oh, you maverick, you.

      --
      Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
    2. Re:FP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      > In the face of the overwhelming popularity of dysfunctional programming?

      Exactly!

      > Oh, you maverick, you.

      Indeed!

      > What're you gonna solve a spreadsheet in one line??!@

      ghci> let solve a = fmap ($ solve a) a in solve [(!!5),const 3,\x ->(x!!0)+(x!!1),(*2).(!!2),length,const 17]
      [17,3,20,40,6,17]

      > OmFg! Functional programming really will give me a strategic and operational advantage!

      I know!!

  2. Re:A good idea is the first step by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Match made in heaven?

  3. How to Really Get it Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. Sell the idea to a big corporation like Microsoft.
    2. Have disgruntled Linux users see said idea in implementation without a free alternative.
    3. Your problem will solve itself.

  4. Re:Next steps...? by AttillaTheNun · · Score: 2, Funny
    Ok, the OP told me what he wants. Here it is...

    He wants the old facebook back. The new one is a disaster.

  5. Flat out Wrong by Layth · · Score: 3, Funny

    "I am Rich" app - $5,600.
    Less than a week of work ;)

    Worth a lot more if apple didn't pull it.
    Great, original ideas can be worth money and take very little work to produce.

    It's just extremely rare.