At 02:15 PM 7/4/2003 -0500, you wrote: >>Your comment about software companies making money by "implementing it >>for people" brings up a good point. I don't think that a model based on >>developers doing nothing but contract work is going to work, either for >>them or the consumer. >>Let's say I am a potential client and I need some software. A word >>processor would be a good example of this. So I get an open source >>developer and contract them to build the software. Under this model the >>client bears the entire cost of the development because the cost cannot >>be spread across other clients (this is how mass-market commercial >>software works). >>How do we make this kind of model affordable to the client? > >If there is a mass market for the software, it will be open sourced. e.g. >word processor look at Open Office, KOffice, Abiword, Hancom Office etc
Why? Let's say a large group of consumers want a certain kind of software. There is no guarantee that a skilled programmer or group of programmers will decide to implement that software just because they want to. In this case someone somewhere will need to contract out to a programmer to develop the software. If the software has a large potential market then it would be better economically to spread that cost out. How can we do that? >If the software is singular to certain profitable markets, it might not be >open sourced. e.g. point of sale, legal document production system >integrated with document management system, etc > >If an open source programmer doesn't have a need for it why would he >create the program OR if he thinks he can make money from it, why would he >open source it?? I know we want to be idealist here, but reality sets in >at the profit line. We are all human. Look at the open source antivirus >programs available: Clam. Why so little? Open source programmers don't >have much need for it AND if they produce it they can make money off it >(e.g. RAV). There are only so many M$ haters and/or Linonuts out there who >are willing to create open source software into a profitable market. Don't misinterpret my argument. I am not arguing for or against closed or open source. I am simply asking a question based on Will's remarks. :) --- Dustin Puryear <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Puryear Information Technology <http://www.puryear-it.com> Providing expertise in the management, integration, and security of Windows and UNIX systems, networks, and applications.
