"Copying" and "almost identical": No. Lame.
"Adapting" and "significantly different": Yes. Reasonable.
Ask HN: Is it okay to copy someone else's idea?
11–18 of 18 posts
Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to copy someone else's idea?
#12Say I am designing / building a database for work. If I want to clone that (and make it more generic for a wider audience). Are there problems with that?
Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to copy someone else's idea?
#13Forget the word "copying". Let's call it "reinventing".
Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to copy someone else's idea?
#14Just about every technology is based on previous art.
Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to copy someone else's idea?
#15That's what is evolution, no ?
Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to copy someone else's idea?
#16Say I am designing / building a database for work. If I want to clone that (and make it more generic for a wider audience). Are there problems with that?
Depends on your contract. But usually yes.
Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to copy someone else's idea?
#17Say I am designing / building a database for work. If I want to clone that (and make it more generic for a wider audience). Are there problems with that?
Generally speaking, yes, that's a problem. If you're targeting a completely different audience and you use 100% new code, then you're probably fine, but the specifics really depend on your contract and the kind of people that run your company.
Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to copy someone else's idea?
#18A number of prominent HNers would be all to happy if you copied their ideas, business models, or execution techniques. Many of them have blogs that are essentially, how to launch a business just like this in N easy steps. Some of them will even answer questions and coach you if you ask nicely.
That said, it is probably polite to not outright copy. For example no one likes the sites that mimic Stack Exchange's layout and even copy their content. Similarly if you copy someone's idea, market, and business model wholesale (without asking), perhaps expect some flak.