Lifting the Skirt (On NDAs)

On the other hand, what if you refuse to do an NDA, and so the project goes to someone else, and it turns out to be really valuable, and they become the Microsoft of your field, and you become the Digital Research? That would suck.

A lot of times the company requesting the NDA isn't worried that you might steal their app idea, but rather are trying to keep other aspects of the project secret.

For instance, suppose Microsoft decided they wanted to make iPad versions of Word and Excel. If it became general knowledge that they were doing this, it could undermine their own phone platform, and also Windows tablet PCs. Such products would have to be introduced carefully. Accordingly their NDA would be aimed at prohibiting you to tell of the existence of their project or their involvement in word processing or spreadsheets on the iPhone. They would not be worried that you might decide to write your own word processor or spreadsheet.

NDA's are a necessary evil, though those holding them have to be aware they need so share the basics.

NDA or Not, ideas can be stolen. Just don't show all your cards.