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Maybe we should turn our open source projects into businesses? At least make it clear we're open to taking money for extra features and/or support? I mean, I h

by hastly 12y ago

Maybe we should turn our open source projects into businesses? At least make it clear we're open to taking money for extra features and/or support? I mean, I have a whole list of projects I would like to support in a meaningful way through a subscription for some service, but it seems finding a way to do this is itself a hoop to jump through. Even if I'm super benevolent maybe I'm not willing to do HR/accounting work in order to exercise my benevolence. I know about Gittip and the like, but if you're a business (the only kind of entity with meaningful money to throw at this problem), you'd rather have a clearcut way to pay for a service, not a platform for dropping pennies.

pjmlp 12y ago
It doesn't work for desktop software for example.
- hastly 12y ago
  Isn't taking money for extra features in desktop software the oldest trick in the book? Either way I don't think the problem is one of individual users not paying for their apps. I think the major problem is that of huge companies who get business value from the code use it to make money and give back nothing in return.
  - pjmlp 12y ago
    As proprietary software yes, but the moment you have something free with source code available, why should I pay you for it? This is why most successful desktop open source desktop software, actually live from another sources of funding, but it hardly created the same changes as with developer tools.
    - jimmaswell 12y ago
      >but the moment you have something free with source code available, why should I pay you for it? People bought the paid version of xchat for some reason. Don't assume the customer is that smart.
jgroszko 12y ago
It'd be interesting to see a more general software section for Patreon.com. Maybe patrons could get support, prioritized features, etc?
seiji 12y ago
Maybe we should turn our open source projects into businesses? At least make it clear we're open to taking money for extra features and/or support? In the past few years, that's become the stable way of generating returns on open source software. But "OSS-as-company" is still a huge leap for any given single popular developer since it takes much more dedication (company+sales+taxes+accounting+employees) and long-term planning than just creating+improving+maintaining code alone.
txu 12y ago
Assembly(.com) is the place for working on or participating in open source projects. I met their evangelist at an event and heard about the model. Your contribution will turn into 'points' which are basically equities. I am still not convinced all ideas fit in that model e.g a mobile app shouldn't be open sourced because other people can release your product as well, yet a library/framework probably doesn't have a direct business model.

by hastly 12y ago

pjmlp 12y ago

It doesn't work for desktop software for example.

hastly 12y ago
Isn't taking money for extra features in desktop software the oldest trick in the book? Either way I don't think the problem is one of individual users not paying for their apps. I think the major problem is that of huge companies who get business value from the code use it to make money and give back nothing in return.
- pjmlp 12y ago
  As proprietary software yes, but the moment you have something free with source code available, why should I pay you for it? This is why most successful desktop open source desktop software, actually live from another sources of funding, but it hardly created the same changes as with developer tools.
  - jimmaswell 12y ago
    >but the moment you have something free with source code available, why should I pay you for it? People bought the paid version of xchat for some reason. Don't assume the customer is that smart.

jgroszko 12y ago

It'd be interesting to see a more general software section for Patreon.com. Maybe patrons could get support, prioritized features, etc?

seiji 12y ago

Maybe we should turn our open source projects into businesses? At least make it clear we're open to taking money for extra features and/or support? In the past few years, that's become the stable way of generating returns on open source software. But "OSS-as-company" is still a huge leap for any given single popular developer since it takes much more dedication (company+sales+taxes+accounting+employees) and long-term planning than just creating+improving+maintaining code alone.

txu 12y ago

Assembly(.com) is the place for working on or participating in open source projects. I met their evangelist at an event and heard about the model. Your contribution will turn into 'points' which are basically equities. I am still not convinced all ideas fit in that model e.g a mobile app shouldn't be open sourced because other people can release your product as well, yet a library/framework probably doesn't have a direct business model.