Did you read the article? The author is talking about NDA's from people who want to discuss startup ideas with him, not NDA's from clients or potential clients.

It's called a "non disclosure" agreement not a non compete agreement. What you're signing up for is "I won't disclose your content to a third party" So it's fraught with risk. You have to take that conversation and bottle it away and not mention it for 3-5 years to anyone else in case they think it's a good idea and pivot or start a company to go do that.

You sign that agreement, have one coffee, never hear from the guy again. Two years later you join on as an advisor to a company that does something similar to that startup and they're claiming you must be disclosing what you learned from them to this new startup! Far fetched but if you sign 20 - 30 NDA's a year because you're actively helping people you will get bit on the butt but some neurotic founder at some point.

>To make a blanket statement that I'll never sign your NDA ...

Maybe you should actually read what the author wrote. He didn't make a blanket statement. The author refuses to sign an NDA when he is approached for advice about some idea somebody may have. This is perfectly reasonable. Why should he open himself up to liability for giving (free) advice and guidance over coffee?

On the other hand, if he is approached in a more formal setting, such as when he is hired or contracted out by the party, then it would be unreasonable for him to refuse an NDA.

So, I have lots of ideas. You want to share your idea with me, and I sign an NDA prior to hearing it. Turns out I already had that idea, and with that NDA, haven't you basically just stolen my idea from me?

No thanks. I am not a lawyer, I don't trust my ability to parse an NDA and accurately and confidently predict exactly what is covered and what is not, nor do I want to predict whether you tie me up in some bullshit lawsuit that will go nowhere but waste my time and money.

No. I just don't see what is in it for me relative to the risks.

I'm sure you will think I'm difficult to deal with then, but I actually take it one step further.

If a person starts to tell me about an idea and I know that we're in the same industry, I will sometimes stop him and let him know that he shouldn't tell me anything that he wants to keep for himself. When you're faced with a certain problem, it's very likely that your solution will look like somebody else's and I don't want anybody upset with me because I "stole" their idea.

Signing an NDA puts you in a bad position and even if there is no real legal threat because of vague formulation or whatever, you risk making enemies which in itself can cost a lot of time one way or another.