DonationCoder.com Software > Mouser's Zone

Ideas i want to bounce off you guys

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alecjw:
already some people would argue that requiring people to renew their freeware license key every 6 months is pushing the definition of freeware.-mouser (November 15, 2005, 04:53 AM)
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I would call any program which you don't have pay for freewae, no matter how many annying nags and ads you got. (that's why I call winr RAR freeware aulthough It's actually shareware)

mouser:
i wouldn't go that far.

i would say if a program unyieldingly and obtrusively nags you in an attempt to get you to buy a commercial version, then i wouldn't call it freeware (even though it is technically free).

i think such programs exact a psychic cost on your personality :)

however, i do believe that asking someone to go through a couple of extra steps on a one-time basis, and thereafter be left alone, is not unreasonable.

superboyac:


i have written a lot on this forum about the philosophy and theory that this site was started with - it was my belief that the chief obstacle to people donating was not that they weren't willing to make a financial contribution, but rather that they just didn't follow through with an initial impulse to donate because it was too much effort.  and that if you could convince them to go through the steps of donating, most would donate more than the minimum.

that was a theory 9 months ago.  i don't know if there have been published studies of this issue in the past, but after 9 months i can tell you that the question has been clearly answered: almost no one donates the minimum.  probably less than 1% of donators have donated $1 or less.  quite a few donate $5, and quite a few donate more than $25.  some have donated very generously.

it is a testament to people's good will that they have been willing to donate more than the minimum they had to, and this is an extremely significant result - it suggests that as donating becomes easier and more secure, it becomes a more and more viable approach to ethically funding projects.


-mouser (January 02, 2006, 02:08 PM)
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Well, that's good to hear, I was wondering about that.  A few months ago, I was having a discussion with a programmer at work about open source programs, and how amazed I was of the quality of some of these programs vs ones you have to pay for.  I just couldn't imagine how someone can spend that much time doing that and not expect to get paid.  I live in California and just to buy an average house you have to be pulling in at least 100k, which is not an average salary.  So these open source/freeware applications are just amazing to me. 

f0dder:
I was of the quality of some of these programs

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I'm generally amazed at the LACK of quality (and documentation) of open-source stuff >_<

Mizraim:
I think donating shows loyalty. Yes some people are going to download everything they want without batting an eye. But there are the others that want to show that they appreciate the work that the programmers put into the requests. Maybe only the members should be able to put special requests for software?

I do see where you are coming from mouser, and regardless of your decision, I think the only people who would take offense to your donate / freeware are those who haven't donated. Good luck.

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