If you ever needed proof that ideas are best shared rather than protected, watch this video. In it, a caller on Jason Calacanis’ excellent online video show – This Week in Startups  (aka TWIST) – pitches an idea for what would essentially be an administrative tool for schools to communicate with parents as well as a social network of sorts for secure inter-school socialising between children.

I immediately liked the administration aspect of the idea, as I could see the value in providing a calendar and alerts system for busy parents, notifying them of activities they need to attend and such like. In fact, it was an idea I had dreamed up before myself.

Jason however homed in on the social network aspect, or more specifically the mention of an inter-school exchange system. In my opinion, he totally transformed the original idea though from sort of okay to great. His idea? Well, watch the video to find out.

I cannot recommend TWIST highly enough by the way. If you are building or want to build a web start-up, it is a must watch / listen for you. Oh as for Jason who definitely has his critics, I think he demonstrates in this video (and on the show in general) just why he is as successful as he is.