On 26-Oct-2000 Craig Evans wrote:
> Registration schemes need to be easy for the user to implement. The users
> that want the software and regularly use the software will be the ones that
> buy it - everything should be geared so that its convenient for them to
> register. Users that don't pay won't pay - nothing can encourage that.
That's been something nice about Palm software. You go to a site where
everything is (PG etc) and you can buy stuff for $5. I do that with Linux
CDs all the time too. Micro payments are excellent.
But at the same time I also "shop" for software based on how much freedom a
license affords me. Sometimes that's just as valid as monetary cost. So I
don't see why some people think that opening the source can't be used as a
selling point.
If I have a choice between two equivalent software CDs for $25. Choice a)
includes full source and a license which lets me code features and submit bug
fixes, and choice b) has only binaries. I am going to pick the most bang for
the buck, that's Capitalism.
> OSS software has it place, but its not a way for programmers to make a
> living. If the OSS hot heads out there took a look at a majority of the OSS
> projects out there, they will find that they are instigated by hobbyists
> (that have alternate sources of income), or through academic (university)
> projects.
Doesn't it impress you how one or two people can disrupt a market so quickly
with open source. That is the first clue that a business model based solely
on selling proprietary software has become risky.
So if a company can no longer effectively develop proprietary software, since
they can't recoup their costs before the market is disrupted by open
software, then they will probably need to license portions of their software
from others.
They will therefore be shopping based on licensing, the cost of the software,
and how available the programming talent pool is for the software. And,
hence, another software model is born -- the outsourcing and licensing of
open source software.
Why is that so different than becoming an expert on proprietary software and
getting hired to develop on it?
/* Chris Faherty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> */
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