What to do with my project?

Catwalk

Hi, I am new here...I am currently working on producing a prototype of my idea which is called "Catwalk".A brief introduction:Catwalk is a computer programming language which massively
simplifies the production of computer applications.



It can be used to produce a computer application of any size
or type.



It uses a simple, intuitive diagram based method of
programming.





The programmer is freed from worrying about the following
aspects of programming:-        
Reading and
writing files

-        
Accessing and updating data in databases

-        
Sending data and using applications across networks

-        
Performance tuning of databases

-        
Utilizing multiple processors



 Catwalk takes care of all these tasks, greatly reducing the
amount of design, development and maintenance effort required.

I don`t have a patent. I have been advised by a patent lawyer that it would be difficult to patent - and the protection offered by such would be limited.I have approaced large companies such as IBM and Microsoft. I have also tried to get help from government agencies such as PERA (UK) but so far no joy.Does anyone have any advice as to what to do with it? I don`t think I could start my own company with this idea, I think I need the backing of a large software company but it is difficult to get them interested.Or maybe I could just make it open source? I like this idea but how would I pay the bills and feed the kids??Thanks in advance

oleg

Interesting idea.  Is your invention truly a new programming language (like VB or C#), a development platform (like .NET or JVM), or an IDE like Visual Studio?
If it`s a language, I am not sure how you can make a direct profit from it.  A platform or an IDE are real products that can be licensed,  but a programming language is somewhat of an ethereal concept.
Have you created any real-world software applications using your language/platform/IDE?  If not that should be your first step - make a real product as a proof of concept.

Catwalk

It`s both a language and a runtime system. The nearest analogy is Java - it has the java language and the Java virtual machine (JVM). In my project the Catwalk system is like the JVM and it has it`s own language called CML (Catwalk modelling language).When I have finished coding the prototype, I should hopefully be able to create some simple applications to demonstrate it working.So when you say it can be `licensed` - do you mean that I would own the copyright on the software I`ve written? If anyone wanted to steal the idea, they could - but they would have to write their own version of it.What I would really like to happen is for a big company like Oracle to just buy it up - like they did with a little company called Sleepycat Software. They developed an embedded database which I happen to be using in my prototype.  
Catwalk2007-4-13 4:48:34

Catwalk

Update:I have written an introduction - a short and  long version. This is for a non technical audience. There is also an FAQ for a more technical audience.http://www.atji89.dsl.pipex.com/CatwalkPublic/Pitch.docPlease let me know if you have any comments or further questions I could answer in my FAQThanks.

oleg

Catwalk,
I really don`t know much about software patents & copyright law...  My (vague) understanding is that you can`t patent such a broad concept as a programming language.  However, you could copyright and sell an IDE/runtime environment package.  There are folks in StartupNation community that are very knowledgeable of patent law - hopefully one of them can help you more with this.
A working prototype with a real-world application developed using your system would go a long way towards being able to market your product to the Oracles & IBMs of the world.  By "real-world application" I mean a fully functional piece of software, not a Hello World app.  You claim "Catwalk is a computer programming language which massively simplifies the production of computer applications."  Nothing could illustrate this claim better than a working computer application developed with Catwalk, especially if you can show that the development effort was significantly reduced compared to building the same application using a more conventional platform.
Some points regarding your FAQ:
Q. What will programming in CML look like? Will there be an IDE like Netbeans for Java?
A. Yes, this is essential because CML cannot be typed using a text editor. [...]
 
Ouch! I can`t speak for anyone else but personally as a software developer, I am not a fan of WYSIWYG.  If CML cannot be modified using a plain-text editor you will have a really hard time getting the development community to buy into this platform.
 
Q. What will the prototype contain?
A. The prototype will consist of a java implementation of the Catwalk runtime system. [...]
 
I am a bit baffled by the Java implementation.  Seems like an interpreted runtime environment (CML) running on top of another interpreted runtime environment (JVM) would be painfully slow.  Unless you got the performance issues all figured out already, I`d go with something other than Java.

Catwalk

Hi olegI agree, getting the prototype working is all important.The reason it cannot be typed into a text editor is that it isn`t a textual language. In fact the term `language` may not even apply to it in the strictest sense. It is more like constructing block diagrams as you might do for a design document using a structured design methodology. It is difficult to describe without giving away too much detail but it is a non-sequential language - it`s not a bunch of statements which are executed a line at a time. I`ll update my FAQ to make this clearer - thanks.Java was chosen to implement the prototype because it`s easy to use and performance is not really what I`m aiming to demonstrate. The final product will be optimised and will have to be written at a lower level.