Time is expensive though…
Demanding you be paid for your time to build this demonstrates you aren't convinced it's a profitable idea, which is a huge red flag to potential investors.
I’ve done entrepreneurship, and it’s extremely stressful. Sometimes people know how to do something but don’t want to do it unless they’re going to get paid directly for the labor. Despite all the stories here on HN, this is actually fine.
You got a job in an industry you like, that's not the same thing as, "I partnered with someone to build my idea."
>> Shameless plug: I understand how to make and launch exactly this kind of system, at least technically. If you want it built, please contact me.
> I cannot roll my eyes hard enough - if you can, then do it already. Why the hell do you need the encouragement?
There is no discussion of partnership. The point is, some people know how to do something and they want to work on it just because they would find the work enjoyable. In which case they may not care who owns it. If they are always working on someone else's product then they are used to not owning their work. They would just rather work on something they feel good about working on.
In my case, I have significant decision making power and all of the engineering work is open source, so I will maintain access to the IP no matter what. I would have to pay for a robot in the future if I want one of my own, but that is a very low cost compared to the years of engineering I've done that I have not had to fund myself. But I don't really know if I want my own farm. It was a dream I had six years ago, but now I have other dreams. Mostly I am happy that I am able to provide these machines for people who need them.
