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« Last post by mouser on April 10, 2005, 05:06 PM »
i've been thinking about some ideas to encourage people to make donations to the site if they are mainly here for the software.
i know this is a sensitive issue but i wanted to bounce some ideas off you guys and see what you think.
the first basic requirement is that the software should always remain free to use. and the second is that members should not be inconvenienced.
one thing i've been trying with process tamer is to make the newest beta release available to members only.
there is something unsatisfying about this, because it means people cant try/use the latest beta unless they are members, and they must either wait for it to come out of beta or else donate (or email me in which case i give out the link).
maybe i should just not worry about this issue at all.. but i was thinking about some other ideas.
here is one idea i had:
use a very simple efficient license keyfile, which would operate like this:
if you a member of the site, you will be able to create a keyfile (as many as you want really), that will go in the directory of the program (in process tamer directory for example), or in some other directory. this key file will tell the program that it will never expire, and would let you customize the about box and maybe titlebar caption for the program. so members should experience not the slightest inconvenience other than downloading (only once) a keyfile to put into the program directory.
if you are NOT a member of the site, and just download the program,
it will install and run fine without a license keyfile, but in 30 days you will have to come back to the site to get a new freeware license keyfile.
so a freeware license keyfile will last for 30 days before it needs you to come back and get another one.
but there will be no limit to the time you can get new freeware keyfiles, and there will be no limits to the freeware version.
the only point is to make freeware users come back occasionally to the site where we can ask them to consider donating.
to me this captures the spirit of making the software free and not limited in features, or posessing nags when using the program, while still adding a bit of inconvenience and encouragement to register.
it also means i can make the latest versions normal downloads for everyone, without doing a members only download section.
after some thought about this approach i'm really starting to like it, but i want to hear your opinions.
as always, people who contact me and cannot afford to make a donation would be given member keyfiles.
opinions?
please keep in mind that in an ideal world none of this would be necesary, and i've spend most of my life not worrying about such things, but if I'm to continue spending so much time on this site, I have to figure out some way to encourage people to donate.
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