5 ms·

Maybe you should consider open sourcing your backend, then people could help.

by immad 13y ago

jc00ke 13y ago
We have considered this a few times, but I always come back to the fact that our app is specific to us. I don't think it's useful to others, per se. Also, most startups don't open source their core business code. Some do, and I think it makes sense for them. I don't think it makes sense for us though. Open source is hugely important to me, and Watsi wouldn't be what it is without all those awesome people out there writing code for the masses. Props to them!
- ForrestN 13y ago
  Congratulations on this great news, I think what you're doing is really valuable. Can you elaborate a little bit on what you mean by this: "Also, most startups don't open source their core business code. Some do, and I think it makes sense for them. I don't think it makes sense for us though." My understanding is that normally as a business the considerations here would be competitive, right? But that doesn't apply in the context of non-profits. If someone else came in and used your "core business code" to make something which was then helpful to other people, that would be a good thing, right? Likewise, your statement about the app being specific to you and not useful to others makes sense within the normal parameters of a business considering open source. But I think the idea is not that your code would be a self-sustaining open source project because it's especially useful as code, but rather that people (for example here) would be willing to help you do your work for free because they support the mission of your organization. A sort of "in-kind" donation of their time and energy and expertise, right? I definitely think that between your admirable mission and the prestige of your network you could certainly be getting lots of free help and resources beyond just cash donations. If you could develop a workflow (via open source or some other mechanism) to take advantage of volunteer engineer labor, you could presumably pursue whatever software goals you have radically faster, I would think.
  - ISL 13y ago
    Fragmentation could actually be bad for something like Watsi. If there's only one, and it's very well-run and well-publicized, it might be better in the short run to keep the shop closed. If Watsi really flies, expect groups like Heifer International to offer similar programs. If the "business" model works, someone else may code up a clone of the backend anyway.
    - kevinconroy 13y ago
      Every few months for the last 10 years (or so) another non-profit crowdfunding site pops up. Some make it, some don't. Here's a list of ones still here: http://www.kiva.org/ http://www.donorschoose.org http://www.globalgiving.org http://www.networkforgood.org/ http://www.razoo.com/ http://www.jolkona.org/ http://www.givedirectly.org/ http://www.groundworkopportunities.org/ http://www.pinkdingo.com/ https://snoball.com/ http://benevolent.net/ http://startsomegood.com/ http://www.crowdhoster.com/ https://www.crowdtilt.com/ http://www.betterplace.org/ http://www.crowdrise.com/ http://www.givengain.com/ http://justgiving.com/ http://firstgiving.com/ http://givemeaning.com/ http://www.vittana.org/ http://www.thekopernik.org/ http://www.change.org/ https://www.myc4.com/ http://www.jantaloans.org/ https://www.nadanu.com/ http://www.seethedifference.org/ http://www.stayclassy.org/ http://www.causes.com/ http://www.giveforward.com/ http://www.jovoto.com/ https://www.fundraise.com/ And here's a few of ones now defunct from my bookmark list: http://www.jumo.com/ http://www.wokai.org/ http://www.pinkdingo.com/ http://www.actionatlas.org/ http://www.jantaloans.org/ https://philanthroper.com/ http://33needs.com/ Watsi is doing great work so I don't mean to detract from it, but they are not the first crowdfunding for good platform, nor the first in the medical space. Much like the startup world, the non-profit space is full of organizations that failed to gain traction and sustain their operations. I personally hope Watsi is here for the long haul.
  - qeorge 13y ago
    They may want to license their software later as a revenue stream, in furtherance of their mission.
    - 13y ago
- hariis 13y ago
  For ex, What if someone wants to do a "Watsi for education related projects", then your code base can be helpful.
  - jc00ke 13y ago
    Like http://www.donorschoose.org http://www.donorschoose.org ?
  - larubbio 13y ago
    Vittana already does that. http://www.vittana.org/ http://www.vittana.org/
    - jc00ke 13y ago
      http://wishbone.org/ http://wishbone.org/ is another education-based crowdfunding platform. I really like their graphic design, and they have a great mission.

Maybe you should consider open sourcing your backend, then people could help.

by immad 13y ago

Maybe you should consider open sourcing your backend, then people could help.

We have considered this a few times, but I always come back to the fact that our app is specific to us. I don't think it's useful to others, per se. Also, most startups don't open source their core business code. Some do, and I think it makes sense for them. I don't think it makes sense for us though. Open source is hugely important to me, and Watsi wouldn't be what it is without all those awesome people out there writing code for the masses. Props to them!

ForrestN 13y ago
Congratulations on this great news, I think what you're doing is really valuable. Can you elaborate a little bit on what you mean by this: "Also, most startups don't open source their core business code. Some do, and I think it makes sense for them. I don't think it makes sense for us though." My understanding is that normally as a business the considerations here would be competitive, right? But that doesn't apply in the context of non-profits. If someone else came in and used your "core business code" to make something which was then helpful to other people, that would be a good thing, right? Likewise, your statement about the app being specific to you and not useful to others makes sense within the normal parameters of a business considering open source. But I think the idea is not that your code would be a self-sustaining open source project because it's especially useful as code, but rather that people (for example here) would be willing to help you do your work for free because they support the mission of your organization. A sort of "in-kind" donation of their time and energy and expertise, right? I definitely think that between your admirable mission and the prestige of your network you could certainly be getting lots of free help and resources beyond just cash donations. If you could develop a workflow (via open source or some other mechanism) to take advantage of volunteer engineer labor, you could presumably pursue whatever software goals you have radically faster, I would think.
- ISL 13y ago
  Fragmentation could actually be bad for something like Watsi. If there's only one, and it's very well-run and well-publicized, it might be better in the short run to keep the shop closed. If Watsi really flies, expect groups like Heifer International to offer similar programs. If the "business" model works, someone else may code up a clone of the backend anyway.
  - kevinconroy 13y ago
    Every few months for the last 10 years (or so) another non-profit crowdfunding site pops up. Some make it, some don't. Here's a list of ones still here: http://www.kiva.org/ http://www.donorschoose.org http://www.globalgiving.org http://www.networkforgood.org/ http://www.razoo.com/ http://www.jolkona.org/ http://www.givedirectly.org/ http://www.groundworkopportunities.org/ http://www.pinkdingo.com/ https://snoball.com/ http://benevolent.net/ http://startsomegood.com/ http://www.crowdhoster.com/ https://www.crowdtilt.com/ http://www.betterplace.org/ http://www.crowdrise.com/ http://www.givengain.com/ http://justgiving.com/ http://firstgiving.com/ http://givemeaning.com/ http://www.vittana.org/ http://www.thekopernik.org/ http://www.change.org/ https://www.myc4.com/ http://www.jantaloans.org/ https://www.nadanu.com/ http://www.seethedifference.org/ http://www.stayclassy.org/ http://www.causes.com/ http://www.giveforward.com/ http://www.jovoto.com/ https://www.fundraise.com/ And here's a few of ones now defunct from my bookmark list: http://www.jumo.com/ http://www.wokai.org/ http://www.pinkdingo.com/ http://www.actionatlas.org/ http://www.jantaloans.org/ https://philanthroper.com/ http://33needs.com/ Watsi is doing great work so I don't mean to detract from it, but they are not the first crowdfunding for good platform, nor the first in the medical space. Much like the startup world, the non-profit space is full of organizations that failed to gain traction and sustain their operations. I personally hope Watsi is here for the long haul.
- qeorge 13y ago
  They may want to license their software later as a revenue stream, in furtherance of their mission.
  - 13y ago
hariis 13y ago
For ex, What if someone wants to do a "Watsi for education related projects", then your code base can be helpful.
- jc00ke 13y ago
  Like http://www.donorschoose.org http://www.donorschoose.org ?
- larubbio 13y ago
  Vittana already does that. http://www.vittana.org/ http://www.vittana.org/
  - jc00ke 13y ago
    http://wishbone.org/ http://wishbone.org/ is another education-based crowdfunding platform. I really like their graphic design, and they have a great mission.