Earlier quoted context omitted.
"In the end if someone else succeeds with this idea wouldn't that person be stealing the idea as well?" >> There's an unbelievably huge difference between someone (a complete stranger) realizing this idea by themselves and running with it, versus your friend disclosing his idea/features/strategy to you in good faith and you running with it. MrBurns, there are some things in life more important than money and success,…
I can see that you're getting pretty passionate about this thread rogerjin and I repect that! I actually started this post to get the most honest feedback I could get and I want to thank you for it. Having said that, here's a purely hypothetical question. Up to what point can you say that it's okay to steal and idea? Say we hypothetically give this guy three years to launch his pet project. Three years later we meet…
Your example of waiting 3 years is a valid one, the reason why the morality changes is because after 3 years he likely will care less about the idea (I mean he didn't do anything with it for 3 years, right?) because it's become apparent he doesn't care much about it, the robbing and betrayal have less of an impact, to the point where it's so much less of a deal that it's just overwritten by you friendship