Making money with software-ideas

[Peturrr]

I want to talk about money. To be more precise: making money with software ideas.

I really like the free software I can use with linux. I think it's good that OpenSource software exists. But now I am faced with a dillema. You see, I have a wonderfull idea for an application. Maybe it isn't that great, but anyway let's image it is. I have a software idea for a killer app. An app that many people would love to use, even would pay for to use like every great windows app.

I can do two things:
1. I share my idea with the community and this way help linux become more mature. I don't get any money from it.
2. I patent my idea, sell it to a company like microsoft and the money starts coming in.

What would you do?

How can one make money in opensource? I can't sell my ideas or software, only give payed 'support'. That sounds like a very bad world to live in. OpenSource is bad for business if you have lot's of innovative software ideas. Aren't you forced to become a closedsource developer if you want to make money with software ideas? Or am I missing something?

[red_Marvin]

If the killer app really is so great, then an officcial website dedicated to it would,
get quite much traffic, and then you could put some 1) discrete google ads on it.
2) Make the program free, but charge for a printed manual (like Pegasus Mail).
3) Make the program free for private use, but charge for corporate use.
(private and enterprise license)
4) Put a paypal (or alike) tip button on your page.

[ssam]

there are quite few big companies making money with open source software.

you can make money from support, adverts on your site, donations.

having writen and maintained a piece of open source software would look good on CV, someone might employ you based on it.

is it possible to build your application around a service model? think itunes, the software is free (as in beer), but they make money on the service.

[Iandefor]

Talk to someone you can trust who has a lot of technical knowledge, and find out what technical skills you would need in a programmer/team of programmers to get your software built. Hire programmers with those skills and give to them the task of making your software. After that, you can make it open-source and sell official support packages and update packages, or you can leave it closed-source and sell it for the Linux platform.

[Peturrr]

Thanks for your comments.

I think we are talking here about software patents. It looks like they are considered evil in linux/opensource communities. I am now starting to understand why these software patents are an issue. It is very easy with them to make money while doing nothing, just inventing ideas. The problem is that inventing ideas also takes time. It doesn't just fall down on you. You need to search for it. Take time to get inspired. Is it wrong to make money with software-patents?

[bjweeks]

Thanks for your comments.

I think we are talking here about software patents. It looks like they are considered evil in linux/opensource communities. I am now starting to understand why these software patents are an issue. It is very easy with them to make money while doing nothing, just inventing ideas. The problem is that inventing ideas also takes time. It doesn't just fall down on you. You need to search for it. Take time to get inspired. Is it wrong to make money with software-patents?

Software patents are ********. People get to patent ideas like the act of send a message. wtf?

[BWF89]

Software patents are ********. People get to patent ideas like the act of send a message. wtf?
That's why Linux/BSD programmers need to start applying for as many patents as possible and allowing their use only in open source licenced programs.

[ahlich]

BWF89 you might have just hit bullseye!

As a principle i dislike very much the idea of patenting... ideas. But it might be just the right (perhaps only) way of fighting back. It is not very realistic to expect it to end any time soon, so the best approach is to conquer as much as possible of the intelectual property form the corporate world. It's ridiculous the amount of times i have personally witnessed a bright young mind coming up with a break-through and in no time is idea is bought by a patent-giant and no-one ever hears about it anymore. (alternative energy source for petrol based products come to mind, to give an example out of the software world...)
Open Source is not the perfect solution, but it is the best mankind have come up with so far (sort of like with Democracy...)

To the thread starter: Do not sell to a proprietary company!

[red_Marvin]

I agree on the previous poster: don't sell your ideas.

It is better if you develop them yourself and stay in control

How much does software patents cost? If OSS software is to be able to buy
them, it is quite important that we/they have enough funds.

[Iandefor]

That's why Linux/BSD programmers need to start applying for as many patents as possible and allowing their use only in open source licenced programs. But then that would exclude makers of proprietary software from using those concepts. That's not fair in any way, shape, or form.

[Arktis]

Well, you don't have to go completely free open source. There are different licenses you can release it under which would give you more control, but of course if you make anything that's any good you'll have to expect that some people/buisnesses WILL try to rip off your source code and pass it off as their own without getting caught. Check out mplayer's website; they have a section detailing all the discoveries they have made about people doing this with their code.

[engla]

there are quite few big companies making money with open source software.

you can make money from support, adverts on your site, donations.

Well quite a few big companies are into open source.

But then small companies? That's the relevant thing for an independent developer looking for a way to make money.
Actually, I don't think the market is thriving with small open source software companies -- rather the opposite.

[commodore]

GPL it, give it away free of charge in the beginning, it gets lots of users, add a price to it, give support, earn money. Redhat and Novell are earning lots of money from free software.

[BWF89]

But then that would exclude makers of proprietary software from using those concepts. That's not fair in any way, shape, or form.
Oh but it's ok for giant software companies like Microsoft to apply for THOUSANDS of patents a year so they can keep their competators from trying to compete with them?

When we control patents we'd be letting people use them for software that promotes competation and sharing. When they control patents they use them to create a stranglehold on the market.

We have to fight fire with fire.

[Iandefor]

Oh but it's ok for giant software companies like Microsoft to apply for THOUSANDS of patents a year so they can keep their competators from trying to compete with them?

When we control patents we'd be letting people use them for software that promotes competation and sharing. When they control patents they use them to create a stranglehold on the market.

We have to fight fire with fire. No, it isn't ok for megacorporations like Microsoft to apply for all sorts of patents to lock out comptetitors- but neither is it okay to stifle closed development methodologies. Let OSS win out by it's merits, not by barring closed source software makers from using common concepts.

[BWF89]

No, it isn't ok for megacorporations like Microsoft to apply for all sorts of patents to lock out comptetitors- but neither is it okay to stifle closed development methodologies. Let OSS win out by it's merits, not by barring closed source software makers from using common concepts.
Their barring us from useing common concepts. We should try to stifle them because companies like Microsoft and SCO are trying to stifle Linux and open source every single day by putting out all their FUD about Windows having better intellectual property coverage. Microsoft actually owns the patent for double clicking on a file.

Sure, I'd be nice to say that "We at Linux don't apply for software patents and try to stifle anyone and their the big meanies who try to sue us and frighten companies that work with us" but at the end of the day all it is is words.

We can say that their the bad guys and were the good guys but in the end it won't make 1 but of difference. We need to start fighting back even if it means sinking to the same level as them.

[skull_leader]

We can say that their the bad guys and were the good guys but in the end it won't make 1 but of difference. We need to start fighting back even if it means sinking to the same level as them.

I think you're totally right.

Only, I don't see using their tactics against them as sinking to their level. It's not that anyone writing OSS would be trying to hoard their progress; it's just that maybe the cheek-turning has gone on for long enough.

[BWF89]

Only, I don't see using their tactics against them as sinking to their level. It's not that anyone writing OSS would be trying to hoard their progress; it's just that maybe the cheek-turning has gone on for long enough.
Yeah, I guess your right. They would be free to use our software patents if they just released their program as open source. But they restrict everyone from useing their patents unless they get paid a substancial amount.

Well I gota go to bed.

[Sheinar]

We need to start fighting back even if it means sinking to the same level as them.
Yeah, you do that. Just remember that your patent(s) wont stick against a megacorp unless they're general enough that no one actually understand what the patent is for and you have countless funds.

Yeah, sink down to their level for nothing. Good idea.

[Iandefor]

Their barring us from useing common concepts. We should try to stifle them because companies like Microsoft and SCO are trying to stifle Linux and open source every single day by putting out all their FUD about Windows having better intellectual property coverage. Microsoft actually owns the patent for double clicking on a file.

Sure, I'd be nice to say that "We at Linux don't apply for software patents and try to stifle anyone and their the big meanies who try to sue us and frighten companies that work with us" but at the end of the day all it is is words.

We can say that their the bad guys and were the good guys but in the end it won't make 1 but of difference. We need to start fighting back even if it means sinking to the same level as them.

"To sink to the same level as the people you attempt to defeat is to become the one you will defeat."

While I have no inclination to debate this topic with you further (I don't feel like this conversation is a topic that will lead to a constructive conclusion), I do have a request for you: think on the above statement.

Spaseeba.

[bjweeks]

It is sad that we have to live in a country that everbody is breaking the law.

Windows, OSX, linux, unix and almost all OSs are violating countless patents. The pantent system is flawed and everbody knows it, there is no point in whoreing pantents when we should be fighting the law. Open source is not going to win with pantents or merits we need to show washintion we care and that this is out country not theres.

[BWF89]

If we started applying for patents and the next version of Windows used alot of the ideas our patents covered we wouldn't have to nessessarily sue them for it. Just the M.A.D. theory that if Microsoft started sueing us for useing their patents and our companies like RedHat, Novell, and possibly IBM would start sueing back would keep everybody in check.

[red_Marvin]

The problem when patenting stuff so it only can be used ing GPL-ed stuff is that,
sure you fight megacorp, but you'll also put minicorp, that is much less stable out
of business.

[phen]

the real problem is: patenting ideas is expensive! no os group can afford it. At least, the old-fashioned hardware patents are expensive (i suggest it applies to the software ones, don't know 100% though..)

[YourSurrogateGod]

I want to talk about money. To be more precise: making money with software ideas.

I really like the free software I can use with linux. I think it's good that OpenSource software exists. But now I am faced with a dillema. You see, I have a wonderfull idea for an application. Maybe it isn't that great, but anyway let's image it is. I have a software idea for a killer app. An app that many people would love to use, even would pay for to use like every great windows app.

I can do two things:
1. I share my idea with the community and this way help linux become more mature. I don't get any money from it.
2. I patent my idea, sell it to a company like microsoft and the money starts coming in.

What would you do?

How can one make money in opensource? I can't sell my ideas or software, only give payed 'support'. That sounds like a very bad world to live in. OpenSource is bad for business if you have lot's of innovative software ideas. Aren't you forced to become a closedsource developer if you want to make money with software ideas? Or am I missing something?
This look interesting.

I've had a similar dilemma some time ago, how to make money from OSS? It's much more difficult than from closed source. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with making a closed-source app that would run on an open source OS. I mean heck, you have Firefox (open sourced) running on Windows (closed source), so why not the other way around?

That and if you were to make a closed source app for Windows, that doesn't mean that you're some sort of traitor that ought to be burned at the stake. You'll gain experience as a developer and if you choose to apply those skills to an OSS project later in your life, I'd say that the open source community has gained quite a bit by having another very competent programmer added to its ranks.

Oh and a word of advice, if you have that killer app and you think that it's the best thing since sliced bread, guard it like never before. When it comes to stuff like this, it's best to trust very few... if any.

[BWF89]

I've had a similar dilemma some time ago, how to make money from OSS? It's much more difficult than from closed source.
It's hard to make money from closed source apps too. If you make a useful program and alot of people want to use it within a week or two of it coming out theres going to be downloadable serials and cracks on all the warez websites for it.

So if people are going to be useing it for free anyway might as well go all the way and make it open source. You could still charge people for it and some might buy it.

[Taino]

Well quite a few big companies are into open source.

But then small companies? That's the relevant thing for an independent developer looking for a way to make money.
Actually, I don't think the market is thriving with small open source software companies -- rather the opposite.

What is happening alot with small opensource companies out there is that the large opensource companies "which have become somewhat commercial ones" (like RedHat, Novell, Suse,) and even some commercial companies out there like IBM and some others are buying up the small upstart opensource companies if they happen to come up with some killer ap that seems worth investing money into.

This is "Not good" for end users because once bought out, that once opensource code gets locked into a patent by that company to keep competitors from using it and the opensource community just get shafted from ever seeing the code again.

Something along these lines happened a while ago when a commercial company bought a small upstart opensource company that had come up with a cool VoiP ap similar to Skype, The small company was pursued and practically hostily taken over by a big corporate one for the VoiP code they had come up with, And the opensource community? we'll screw them was basically the attitude the new owners had.

[YourSurrogateGod]

It's hard to make money from closed source apps too. If you make a useful program and alot of people want to use it within a week or two of it coming out theres going to be downloadable serials and cracks on all the warez websites for it.

So if people are going to be useing it for free anyway might as well go all the way and make it open source. You could still charge people for it and some might buy it.
Yes, that is a good point, piracy can eat into the revenues of some companies. However, despite piracy, the economic model on which the sale of closed source apps operate is intact and continues to make money for the authors of those programs.

[jason.b.c]

I want to talk about money. To be more precise: making money with software ideas.

I really like the free software I can use with linux. I think it's good that OpenSource software exists. But now I am faced with a dillema. You see, I have a wonderfull idea for an application. Maybe it isn't that great, but anyway let's image it is. I have a software idea for a killer app. An app that many people would love to use, even would pay for to use like every great windows app.

I can do two things:
1. I share my idea with the community and this way help linux become more mature. I don't get any money from it.
2. I patent my idea, sell it to a company like microsoft and the money starts coming in.

What would you do?

How can one make money in opensource? I can't sell my ideas or software, only give payed 'support'. That sounds like a very bad world to live in. OpenSource is bad for business if you have lot's of innovative software ideas. Aren't you forced to become a closedsource developer if you want to make money with software ideas? Or am I missing something?


:o So then whats your idea? No seriously i really want to know, not to steal your idea.! I dont even know how to write programing anyway.:(

[joflow]

Patent it and sell it. If its a really good idea then someone will start an OSS clone project anyway. So why not get paid?

Don't GPL it at first then charge for it later..as someone suggested. Nothing ticks people off more then having to pay for software that was once free. Plus, someone will just fork the project with the last updated source and continue to develop your idea as OSS project and guess where all your loyal users are going to go?