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What does it mean when I say "successful freeware"?
vlastimil:
I have to say I perceive freeware differently than 15 years ago. Maybe we need a new definition or some sub-categories.
Freeware is a buzzword now. I dare to say that simply making a good utility and throwing it into the cloud would not work like it worked 15 years ago. Current tools need online presence - at least a web page, but a blog and a forum is almost a must. They may even need a big marketing campaign (Chrome) to succeed. When we refuse to do the non-coding stuff, the chance of success are slim.
The scheme behind my freeware is simple and I believe the story is similar for most other freeware authors. I want to make freeware - or in by mouser's definition donationware. If one of my freeware projects were a financial success, I would stop doing paid software and only worked on free tools. I do not think, it is sneaky. Maybe it must be explained to the end users (if they read such "nonsense").
40hz:
Oh darn, I'm probably going to anger lots of you here but to hell with it: I'm feeling talkative.
Back then, wasn't freeware perceived as crapware?
...and before you guys think this is off-topic or deliberately flammatory, I think it's worth looking at it through those lenses because one could say freeware has evolved a long way and thus it brings up the concept of success as not just being a situational criteria but a generational one too.
-Paul Keith (February 14, 2011, 08:27 AM)
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Not as far as my memory serves.
There was quite a bit of professional and bloody useful freeware out back then. Most of the bulletin board world (harbingers of today's web) ran on freeware.
Indeed, it was almost a truism back then that freeware and shareware offerings were far better choices than their commercial counterparts - when there even were commercial counterparts. :)
Renegade:
I still think they key is being honest with your users.
There are many ways to make and share and give away (or market and sell) software or services, and lots of different motivations, and lots of different paths that people can take.
If you are up front with your users/customers/friends about what you are doing and why, so that they don't feel tricked, then you are doing fine, whatever path you take.
-mouser (February 14, 2011, 08:57 AM)
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This is what I'm finding very, very, very wrong.
It seems to me that the underlying assumption is that unless you "confess", you must be up to no good.
There's no reason at all to be up front about what you are doing and why. Very few people do that. It doesn't make them dishonest.
If you're not doing anything wrong, not tricking people, not installing malware, then there's nothing wrong with not revealing your motivations.
Why look a gift horse in the mouth?
That being said, there is a very big difference between honestly giving something away and tricking people into installing toolbars, spyware, etc. etc.
If you are installing a toolbar, then you need to be up front about that. Toolbars aren't really a part of the software, so there's no expectation to get a toolbar when installing ACME programs. THAT kind of stuff you need to be up front about.
But simply giving something away? Jeez. I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition. :)
40hz:
[EDIT: I guess i also have a quibble with the second part of this: "If you want to get paid - say so. And require it. "
I believe strongly in the concept of encouraging voluntary payments for digital goods (e.g. Donationware).
-mouser (February 14, 2011, 07:58 AM)
--- End quote ---
I really want to believe strongly in the donation concept too. I think it's a marvellous idea that speaks to all that's best in people.
I'm just curious about how well it works practice.
Because while it seems to be working very well here, I'm sure most of us would also qualify that by pointing out just how unique (or perhaps totally unique) DC is. If you don't believe it, just look at the results of the last fundraiser. I've never known any fund drive that got double their target before I saw it happen here.
But websites are websites and software is software. So I'm also curious how donations made to a website compare to donations made to software authors. Without meaning to pry (so no specifics please) is there anybody, whose portfolio of software is earning a them even a modest wage purely from donations? By wage I mean it would be equivalent to what you might earn from an unskilled part-time job.
Please somebody say "yes."
You have no idea how much I want to believe this concept can work. :)
Renegade:
[EDIT: I guess i also have a quibble with the second part of this: "If you want to get paid - say so. And require it. "
I believe strongly in the concept of encouraging voluntary payments for digital goods (e.g. Donationware).
-mouser (February 14, 2011, 07:58 AM)
--- End quote ---
I really want to believe strongly in the donation concept too. I think it's a marvellous idea that speaks to all that's best in people.
I'm just curious about how well it works practice.
Because while it seems to be working very well here, I'm sure most of us would also qualify that by pointing out just how unique (or perhaps totally unique) DC is. If you don't believe it, just look at the results of the last fundraiser. I've never known any fund drive that got double their target before I saw it happen here.
But websites are websites and software is software. So I'm also curious how donations made to a website compare to donations made to software authors. Without meaning to pry (so no specifics please) is there anybody, whose portfolio of software is earning a them even a modest wage purely from donations? By wage I mean it would be equivalent to what you might earn from an unskilled part-time job.
Please somebody say "yes."
You have no idea how much I want to believe this concept can work. :)
-40hz (February 14, 2011, 09:44 AM)
--- End quote ---
Wikipedia.
Wikileaks.
Ummm... Running out here...
Mozilla monetizes through search (and doesn't really make it very public).
There are some out there. I'm sure others can think of more.
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