"Thufir" <hawat.thufir@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:IOjki.99964$NV3.65787@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:47:48 +0100, Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>
>> | This is actually one of the weaknesses of an open-source business
>> model. Once | you release the code, the customer is in control of when
>> she buys.
>
>
> Perhaps a better business model would be to have something in demand,
> then sell it. I suppose there's a surplus of FOSS software, as it can be
> downloaded easily. Anytime there's a surplus, you're not going to make
> money...
>
> On the other hand, if you have skill x, and there's a shortage of persons
> with skill x, then you'll make money hand of fist. You could probably
> build a company around that...
Although there are hundreds of thousands of FOSS projects, they are mostly
abandoned. Just take a random walk thru sourceforge.net and you'll see what
I mean.
Just like in the Windows world, to make money from software, you give away a
"lite" version and charge for the "pro" version. The only way to do this
successfully is to keep the source code for the pro application proprietary.
Although there is a vast graveyard of dead FOSS projects, there is nothing
in Linux (even with GPL3) that forces you to write or release open source
programs. You can write and sell proprietary programs for Linux just like
MySQL and IBM and others.
Sooner or later Linux users will tire of their favorite free software being
no longer supported because Johnny graduated from college and now must work
to put food on his table. Then, they'll pay for Linux software from a
company that will support them - but not rob them.
jim
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