Do you know someone important in Microsoft?

**Silverion** · 07-20-2008 11:33 AM

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday I was thinking on one of my "big ideas". It is a really good concept that can at least injure google considerably, if not destroy it. I had been planning to save it until I had the resources to execute it on my own. However weighing the situation, I realized that creating the global platform needed for it to make the billions I know it can, could take longer than I want it to. So thinking about the environment I realized Mircrosft is in the perfect position to do it. My idea can use 2 of Microsofts most known and used software progams which with the bridge my idea provides, can add the global monopoly of online advertisement to Microsofts assets, destroying all the competition and potentially, not only making it king in the online ads category but also in user searches. Added to all that, it could reduce Microsofts losses related to software piracy by a nice margin wherever there is access to the internet.

Unfortunately I have no contacts within Microsoft to help me get the idea to the visionaries inside the company that have the authority to implement it, which is why I am writing this thread. So if anybody knows someone in Microsft with enough relevance and the possibility to listen to the concept and take it to the "higher authorities" inside the company, please let me know. Any contact that can virtually help me make this first step will be appreciated.

**paulw1283** · 07-20-2008 12:34 PM

Forget it. You'll never make any money.

Assuming your "big idea" is even workable (BIG IF), it's probably already patented or something Microsoft has already known.

Big companies don't like to implement ideas from regular people. They get 20,000 idea submissions every year and might use 2 or 3. They spend billions on research and hire the smartest people in the world. The

Even if they like your idea, they'll try to work around it and steal your patent rather than paying you a dime.

Good luck

**Silverion** · 07-20-2008 01:18 PM

Well Paul, so it seems you have a grudge against corporations. But back to the point.
First of all, I doubt the idea is patented at all or being used by anyone as it is the kind of concept everyone would call a breakthrough. It is completely new (online) and it really is as big as I described it before. I assume to a certain extent you are right about implementing regular people´s ideas and mine would definetly fall in the 2 to 3 in 20,000 a year. As for research, this can only be done with ideas or concepts that give meaning to the billions spent. About stealing the patented idea, well it is not patented but I really think you are being very exagerated in regards to corporations, with the perception that they always have evil intentions of stealing ideas and taking from others without compensating them. It happens, but it is not the rule.

P.S. The idea/concept is obviously going to be protected. It is not like if I was going to submit it through a ticket.

**zharlene** · 07-20-2008 01:34 PM

I agree with Paul.

When it comes to dealing with big companies like Microsoft, you pretty much have hope for a "if you build it, he will come" result.

EDIT. OK, ignore what I had on here before.

**Silverion** · 07-20-2008 02:05 PM

Well Zharlene, that is one way but I am not interested in starting something that becomes as succesful as Mozilla when it can be Microsofts card to online domination. Besides I am not interested in taking care of all the process and details involved in the execution of the idea (just a little). Thats why it makes more sense to take it to the corporation with the means, the desire and capacity of execution. But I might consider looking for a partner that could take care of the details involved in the process of offering it to Microsoft, I am not sure yet. I am mainly thinking of getting a contact right now and give him the panoram of what I have to offer and just how big it is.

**MistaDobalina** · 07-20-2008 07:45 PM

internet explorer and wmp? i don't get it. besides i'm sure microsoft knows of your idea and there's probably a reason they're not doing it. pm me what you're talking about. trust me i'm not one of the guys on this site who knows enough about software to steal it.

**Silverion** · 07-20-2008 10:01 PM

No MistaDobalina, it is not internet explorer and winamp. The main part of my idea is a an undeveloped software that enables 2 of Microsofts most known and used programs to be used in the process of monopolizing practically all the online advertising. This will produce Google and any other search engine to run out of its main source of income. Consequently their stocks go down and Microsoft can absorb them all. I would pm you if I trusted you but to understand how this concept works you don´t need to know anything about software or technical details so I am going to keep it to myself.

**Crysco** · 07-21-2008 12:22 AM

I woulnd't know what to suggest, where every situation is different.

I have had a couple of "Big Ideas", maybe not as big as absorbing google or anything. What I found is that even if you have a good idea companies aren't always willing to take them on.

If I were in this situation, I would be finding the right people to start doing it on my own, and let the companies come to me if they think its worth buying out.

**Silverion** · 07-21-2008 03:11 AM

Well Crysco, I think you are right about some corporations not being interested in implementing some ideas but I am pretty good at explaining my ideas and making others see what I am seeing as the future. Added to that, this targets specific interests I am very sure Microsoft has such as online domination, competitor extermination and reduction of losses product of software piracy. I know all this sounds like the hype you read around all over the web but it is not. The idea really is that good and it just happens to fit perfectly with some of Microsofts most valuable assets as well as current situation. So if anyone has a contact there please let me know.

**sonnyrizo** · 08-09-2008 12:27 PM

I am going to have to join the people who say you have little hope, but instead of focusing on this, let's try to get you somewhere.

See if Microsoft has something like Google's Big Idea Challenge, which is available here:

Google

Study Microsoft's corporate structure and find out which department/person deals with outside suggestions. Most of the time, I assume, Microsoft reaches out to business that it sees potential in, but I am sure it is frequently approached by others.

If we assume that 20, 000 people (probably a very low figure) submit ideas on a regular basis, how can you make sure yours gets to the right people first? You have to come up with something brilliant and it shouldn't be pestering someone who works at Microsoft. Let's say I gave you Steve Ballmer's cell phone number, what would you do with it? I highly suggest you not place that phone call because you would only piss him off. He would hang up on you before you could a word in because he's heard these "brilliant" ideas many times before. Instead, come up with another idea. Networking might be a solution at times, but it is very unlikely to work here.

I used to give one of my supervisors ideas on how to improve business practices all the time, and she would never listen (this was at a well known company). If my direct supervisor immediately dismissed me without even taking the time to listen to what I had to say, why should a complete stranger at Microsoft listen to you? Good ideas are commonly ignored in the corporate world.

Suppose I connect you with one of the principal programmers of Windows Vista, why would he want to know your idea if it wouldn't make any difference to his paycheck?

Try these idea submission pages at Microsoft (not very relevant, but a place to start):

http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/o...deaSubmit.aspx

Communities

If you go here, you'll find that there's a guy named John Beld who also has a "confidential" idea. Try contacting him:

Mark Bower : How To Submit Ideas and Suggestions for Microsoft Office Products

**Silverion** · 08-09-2008 03:30 PM

Hi Sonny, Thanks for the advice. However I was already able to contact Don Dodge (Director of Business Development for Microsoft's Emerging Business Team) about my intention to sell Microsoft my idea. He replied to me saying that unfortunately nor Microsoft nor any of its employees are allowed to receive ideas from the outside to avoid intellectual property problems or any kind of lawsuit related to the execution of a "foreign" idea. However I am already working on an alternative to succesfully sell the idea to Microsoft. Thanks to those who replied to this thread trying to help me.

**Gaulkin** · 08-09-2008 04:44 PM

Good luck with that, your not going to get very far. You want it to work, you have to do all the WORK. No corporation is going to take your idea and make you all the money, doesnt work like that. If its such a amazing idea you can find plenty of venture capitalist to give you the money to make it happen.

**chrispalko** · 08-09-2008 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by Gaulkin

Good luck with that, your not going to get very far. You want it to work, you have to do all the WORK. No corporation is going to take your idea and make you all the money, doesnt work like that. If its such a amazing idea you can find plenty of venture capitalist to give you the money to make it happen.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I would stop wasting time creating threads like this and get working on this BIG IDEA. Any program can be reproduced to an extent. Get a loan, find investors, do it yourself, that is, if you actually believe in your idea.

**andrewrichardgale** · 08-09-2008 07:08 PM

how much money would you need?

**Silverion** · 08-09-2008 10:51 PM

Thanks for the latest feedback. However, the new direction I am working on will save me the troubles of assembling everything (money, team, investors, develpment, and sale of my idea). This is one of the situations where can I can play smart, not hard. So to answer your question andrew: $0.