If you got an ‘idea’ that can drive business, implement it right away before someone snatches it from you and publishes the implementation, especially over the Internet.
That’s what happened with me. I had a thought of building ‘code-history’, history of each line of source code file. Typically when you look at the source control, you see file history. Actually it’s not directly associated with source code file; it’s first coupled to the change (change-set) you made and then linked to the file. So, the idea was to build Code History by combining two typical file operations: 1) File History and 2) File Diff technology. And drill down till you get the version where selected code was first introduced.
Orcas, next version of Visual Studio, features the same named – Annotate:
“Annotate is an Orcas feature that allows developers to inspect a source code file and see at line-by-line level of detail who last changed each section of code. It brings together changeset data with difference technology to enable developers to quickly learn change history inside a source file. You can answer the questions “which version of the file introduced this section of code?” or “who left this buffer overrun in the code?!” Subversion users may recognize this as the ‘Blame’ command.”
- Explained by Orcas Team
In simple words, I lost it 
This is not a single instance, earlier the concept of Flickr Maps stroke to my mind and while I was planning (for few weeks) the scope of the concept, they launched .
No doubt, they are ahead, but not much. I’m just around the corner!
Lessons I learnt:
- Internet is Big Boss that knows every thing. If you have an idea, first search for the same thoroughly.
- If your thought is unique, carry out Proof of Concept right away. I mean “right away“.
- In case you don’t want to implement, write a ‘Blog post’ to claim (or go for patent). Or give it to me I’ll write.
- Think much faster (much much faster at what pace I do currently).
The exponential growth of Internet has made world’s thinking/inventions much faster then what happened in previous centuries. Inventions are much closer to each other with a thin line of separation. The half-life of our knowledge is decreasing and Humans have to survive!
Thanks!
- Ankit
[Inputs from ‘Chiku’ - aka Chirag Maharaj:
The records breakers are just a second ahead then the runners up then also the money difference in them is more than 10 times and even the glory they receive is 100 times more than runner up; though the diff was just one second!!!
So you to be the winner, you have to be just one step ahead. A little hard work could make u at top!
]
)