Website Inquiry. Idea's law?

[francisco]

I had this brilliant idea in my head for a website. I looked online this morning and there was my website idea. But not 100% my idea. I did some research and all I have seen is about website design. I can code my own website, i know how. But when I googled it, only one site popped up, I clicked it and it honestly looked like crap, pretty hard to maneuver. It says it has been going since 1999.

I see multiple sites for the same idea so I was just wondering. For instance travel sites. Is it ok to have the same idea?

What is the law for creating a similiar website idea but different everything about the site? My idea compared to the one that I saw is sort of like myspace against facebook.

[jordi]

In theory, you cannot copyright an idea. In pratice, there are some major recent cases that are starting to question that theory. The Harry Potter Lexicon case, for example.

[dubh35]

It is ok as long as the site is different in aspects. You are not using the same code as the other sites so that is what truly matters. That is the part where owners an developers retain rights.

For instance we were developing a social media site for a particular niche. Out of the blue another company called and said they have a project idea and it was not exactly the same as what we were building for another client. So we basically signed a NDA with both parties not to share ideas between the two and we got started on the second site.

There are all kinds of sites that mimic each other on the internet. You are correct take facebook and myspace as an example.

That is my 2 cents, but if you are still not sure the best thing to do is talk to an Attorney because that will give you the best answer anyone could possibly give you.

[tredway]

If a feature of a website is patented then you cannot copy that feature. I recommend that you search the Patent database: http://patft.uspto.gov/ or call the patent office and ask if your idea is patented.

If it doesn't have a patent or the patent is expired, then you're free to use the idea. If there's a patent on it, you need to make sure that you make it somewhat different, you have to ask the patent office what would be considered different enough to not get into any legal trouble.