Good artists copy, great artists steal.

Sounds familiar? yes, you're right, it's said by none other than the great Pablo Picasso himself. How this saying applies to today's online products?
We've been seeing the art of copying rampant and well accepted in our internet domain. Everyone wants to own their "own" Facebook or MySpace or Linkedin or whatever the flavor of the month is. So they copy it, trying to emulate some successful online community or the most happening application. But then it fails, big time. And they scratch their heads and abandon any non-traditional efforts claiming that they just don't work.
So what's the difference between copying and stealing? When you copy, you're trying to be like something or someone else. When you steal, you make it your own. Did you hear that? You make it your own. And when you make something your own, it becomes part of who you are, you internalize it.
We've seen this happen, too. And many times, the program that is "stolen" is improved upon because the company owns it. It becomes part of their DNA. It's much more than a tactic or a means to an end. It becomes a part of the very brand and the business is woven around it to make it a new product all together.
So before you decide to copy whatever social community tools are hot this month, first take a look inside and make sure you're ready to own it. If it's right for you and you can improve on it then steal away. You might just create the next thing everyone else will try to copy.
Because, mere copying leaves you clueless about the product's potential and mileage that can be achieved out of it, you don't know who the product users are and their expectations.
Therefore, whenever you see a path breaking product and want to own it, Just Steal, don't Copy.