4 ms·

Nice to see this posted here. I feel obliged to say that the 2nd edition (which is now finally completed) has a number of Kickstarter backers waiting for their

by kfogel 4y ago

Nice to see this posted here. I feel obliged to say that the 2nd edition (which is now finally completed) has a number of Kickstarter backers waiting for their treeware, and I'm sorry for the delay in getting that to them. It's the print-run process, much more than the shipping, that turns out to be complicated, somewhat to my surprise, but I am plugging away at it. I am very grateful for those backers' support and have not forgotten. In the meantime, the entire 2nd edition is online in various formats, under a free license of course (CC-BY-SA), at the link OP gave. -Karl Fogel (author)

nerdyadventurer 4y ago
I have a question for you. I myself prefer open sourced app for better transparency and maintaining an open source software cost a lot of time, can be called as full time job if the project is big. We are planning to develop a mobile app which is subscription based, but I want to make it open source. Would subscription based open source apps will work? I have not seen any significant size mobile app which subscription based and open sourced. Is this possible? (There are a lot of server side software which are open sourced, where they earn by cloud hosting or enterprise features, but it is different case for mobile apps) We will be planning to develop that app full time, so we are planning to earn a living too as startup.
- pabs3 4y ago
  It depends on what the subscription is for; if the open source app is just a frontend to pay for, download and display some proprietary data, then it definitely seems feasible to have a subscription setup. If it is just a local-only app, like a game for example; you could make money through subscribing to updates. If any of your customers redistribute your code for free, then other potential customers might use the free version instead. OTOH they might like it is open source, so pay for it or donate, while they would turn away if it were proprietary. Apps like Krita have a setup where you can download the app for free from the website, you can donate on the website or you can download the exact same app via the various app stores for money. That seems like the best option. People who don't want to pay can get it for free and pay by promoting the software through word of mouth. People who want to use app stores can pay. People who have spare cash can donate. https://krita.org/ https://krita.org/
  - nerdyadventurer 4y ago
    It has a server side component where user data is synced to the server. I looked at Krita, it seems it is a desktop app, not a mobile app and Krita is majorly donation based[0] where they seem to be barely hanging out. There are users on the Windows store leaving reviews encouraging free download[1]. I wonder how people expecting us to work on apps if they do not support us. I have seen some folks in HN argive that open source work should be done for free, and they must do a job if they want to earn a living. I do not think that's right, people are trying to be more transparent by making software open source, but they also need to earn a living. Not everyone can work on both a job and side projects 7 days a week, they're developers with issues like health problems, family issues. [0] https://fund.krita.org/ https://fund.krita.org/ [1] https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/krita/9N6X57ZGRW96?hl=en-us&gl=US https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/krita/9N6X57ZGRW96?h...
    - pabs3 4y ago
      The server side component sounds like it probably could become a subscription, with the app providing a way to advertise that. Ideally the Windows store would have a way to let users donate what they want rather than have people commenting links to the free downloads. I definitely agree that proper funding for open source work is important. There are lots of companies who provide this by having their employees work either full time or part time on open source. There are various other ways to get paid for work on open source, some of them listed on the pages below. https://www.fossjobs.net/ https://www.fossjobs.net/ https://github.com/fossjobs/fossjobs/wiki/resources https://github.com/fossjobs/fossjobs/wiki/resources
- mch82 4y ago
  If the code is yours, then absolutely. If your code depends on other open source code, then probably (but double check). Charge for the app on the App Store. Post the code online under an open source license (for example, on GitLab.com). Add a page to your app that explains where to get the code. Even with GPL you’ll see people talk about “free as in freedom, not free as in beer”. Back in the day, people charged for CDs and postage. App Store distribution seems like the modern version of that. Edit: Examples… Check out Signal and Pythonista. Both great apps that are largely open source. Pythonista charges for the app, which runs Python on iOS. Signal is free, but officers an in app subscription to support the foundation.
  - nerdyadventurer 4y ago
    > If the code is yours, then absolutely. If your code depends on other open source code, then probably (but double check). Not sure what you mean, almost everyone depends on open source libraries these days. My project is not just gluing several os libs, if that you meant > Check out Signal and Pythonista. Pythonista look like a onetime purchase. Signal is majorly donation based and it is non profit AFAIK.

by kfogel 4y ago

nerdyadventurer 4y ago

I have a question for you. I myself prefer open sourced app for better transparency and maintaining an open source software cost a lot of time, can be called as full time job if the project is big. We are planning to develop a mobile app which is subscription based, but I want to make it open source. Would subscription based open source apps will work? I have not seen any significant size mobile app which subscription based and open sourced. Is this possible? (There are a lot of server side software which are open sourced, where they earn by cloud hosting or enterprise features, but it is different case for mobile apps) We will be planning to develop that app full time, so we are planning to earn a living too as startup.

pabs3 4y ago
It depends on what the subscription is for; if the open source app is just a frontend to pay for, download and display some proprietary data, then it definitely seems feasible to have a subscription setup. If it is just a local-only app, like a game for example; you could make money through subscribing to updates. If any of your customers redistribute your code for free, then other potential customers might use the free version instead. OTOH they might like it is open source, so pay for it or donate, while they would turn away if it were proprietary. Apps like Krita have a setup where you can download the app for free from the website, you can donate on the website or you can download the exact same app via the various app stores for money. That seems like the best option. People who don't want to pay can get it for free and pay by promoting the software through word of mouth. People who want to use app stores can pay. People who have spare cash can donate. https://krita.org/ https://krita.org/
- nerdyadventurer 4y ago
  It has a server side component where user data is synced to the server. I looked at Krita, it seems it is a desktop app, not a mobile app and Krita is majorly donation based[0] where they seem to be barely hanging out. There are users on the Windows store leaving reviews encouraging free download[1]. I wonder how people expecting us to work on apps if they do not support us. I have seen some folks in HN argive that open source work should be done for free, and they must do a job if they want to earn a living. I do not think that's right, people are trying to be more transparent by making software open source, but they also need to earn a living. Not everyone can work on both a job and side projects 7 days a week, they're developers with issues like health problems, family issues. [0] https://fund.krita.org/ https://fund.krita.org/ [1] https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/krita/9N6X57ZGRW96?hl=en-us&gl=US https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/krita/9N6X57ZGRW96?h...
  - pabs3 4y ago
    The server side component sounds like it probably could become a subscription, with the app providing a way to advertise that. Ideally the Windows store would have a way to let users donate what they want rather than have people commenting links to the free downloads. I definitely agree that proper funding for open source work is important. There are lots of companies who provide this by having their employees work either full time or part time on open source. There are various other ways to get paid for work on open source, some of them listed on the pages below. https://www.fossjobs.net/ https://www.fossjobs.net/ https://github.com/fossjobs/fossjobs/wiki/resources https://github.com/fossjobs/fossjobs/wiki/resources
mch82 4y ago
If the code is yours, then absolutely. If your code depends on other open source code, then probably (but double check). Charge for the app on the App Store. Post the code online under an open source license (for example, on GitLab.com). Add a page to your app that explains where to get the code. Even with GPL you’ll see people talk about “free as in freedom, not free as in beer”. Back in the day, people charged for CDs and postage. App Store distribution seems like the modern version of that. Edit: Examples… Check out Signal and Pythonista. Both great apps that are largely open source. Pythonista charges for the app, which runs Python on iOS. Signal is free, but officers an in app subscription to support the foundation.
- nerdyadventurer 4y ago
  > If the code is yours, then absolutely. If your code depends on other open source code, then probably (but double check). Not sure what you mean, almost everyone depends on open source libraries these days. My project is not just gluing several os libs, if that you meant > Check out Signal and Pythonista. Pythonista look like a onetime purchase. Signal is majorly donation based and it is non profit AFAIK.