Response to Question: Can shareware be released in the NANY event?

[mouser]

DC is very friendly to shareware authors -- we believe authors have a right to make money from their software.

But the ground rules we've always set for NANY is that programs released as part of the NANY event should be free, or free for personal use -- and of course asking for donations is more than fine.

This means that shareware applications are not appropriate as NANY entries (ditto for important-feature-limited lite versions of shareware whose intent is to be a kind of trial version).

It doesn't mean you aren't welcome to tell the forum about your product and be proud of it -- we're always happy to hear about software projects (freeware or commercial) from people who are part of the site.  BUT it does mean that such programs are not suitable for releasing under the NANY event.

At least that's my view.. if the community feels we should change that we could.  This year we have decided to not worry so much about whether entries are giant or small and have decided we will just try to categorize them clearly when the final list is presented.  So if the community wanted, we could allow new shareware applications as part of NANY and simply make very clear which applications fall into that category.  Another possibility would be if the authors of the new shareware program was willing to give all current DC members a free license..

What do you guys think?

[tomos]

I'd be open to the idea (but have no strong opinions either way)

as you suggest "give all current DC members a free license" - this would actually be very good advertising for any app, mind you they'd lose out on all the software junkies here...
or
something like a license for a year with upgrading pricing after that ?

[cranioscopical]

I'd be mildly inclined to vote against shareware.
It doesn't feel to me to be in the spirit of DonationCoder.
Donating copies to members doesn't change that for me (as it excludes everyone else).

[daddydave]

I also have no strong opinions one way or the other, but I would ask the forum what they think about having both a free version for NANY and a shareware "pro" version as well.

[vitali_y]

as a developer, my proposition is 1 year free license, which I'll share with donationcoder.com community...
for me it really look like freeware, but I frankly state, what the program is shareware with use time limit.
As I know sometimes developers use freeware as advertising and next convert to shareware - so not a big difference here.
so I frankly state, what others think about...

free license for a year with upgrading pricing after that. -> That is my proposition, so
it is intresting to know what other developers think about...

moreover, about my software, currently I want to get good feedback, but I do not sure what I can provide stable version to the time...
so currently I just want to start discussion with DC community to know a view point about the idea...

[mouser]

free license for a year with upgrading pricing after that.

we had a discussion about some confusion about this terminology lately..

does that mean that

1. After 1 year the program still works, but users who chooses to upgrade has to pay to upgrade just like a normal person who bought it?
or
2. That the program stops working after 1 year?

If it's #1 then that's great.  I don't use programs that behave like #2 (except for antivirus programs because they need continual updates).

[tomos]

I know you're asking Vitali_y there, but I said the same thing so I'll clarify that I was thinking along the lines of your #1

1. After 1 year the program still works, but users who chooses to upgrade has to pay to upgrade just like a normal person who bought it

[vitali_y]

I mean:
"After 1 year the program still works, but will display dialog with proposition to buy before startup for 30 secs (or more)"

[timns]

In my case, I'm hoping that my NANY app will eventually mature into a commercial product. However, I really support DC and its members, so
what I said in my NANY pledge was this:

    * If you help me test the app and provide feedback, or contribute to it in any way, you get a free copy
    * If you are a supporting member of DC, you get a free copy
    * If you donate to ANY of the NANY entries, you get a free copy

To the outside world, I will be saying "you should pay for a copy and support me, or join DC and support coders in general"

I'm working hard on this software and I feel that users do appreciate something a bit more if they pay for it - at the very least they will try to get their money's worth!

[Perry Mowbray]

I lean toward the NANY version being Free / Donationware for its life (no time-limit, no nag screen after a period of time).

There is nothing stopping further development happening after NANY and a paid version(s) released at a later date.

I think the spirit of DC and NANY is celebratory and we should be doing everything that we can to increase the celebration for the coder and the user -- having time-limits and or nag screens and or feature restrictions to the original NANY release limits or decreases the celebration.

[vitali_y]

I lean toward the NANY version being Free / Donationwar

but in the next year will be next NANY.
Other point -> as I think my software is mature enough and has a rather big functionality,
I spend several years for this - to get idea how the application should look like...
I do not want to release it as freeware.

other idea -> one application can only once take part in NANY,
so next time the application will not be new.

[Stoic Joker]

While work is making it next to impossible to participate this year, I'll have to agree with Perry. The NANY apps by design (as I understand it) are to be new previously unreleased/coded from scratch on a deadline etc. etc. so the assertion that they be lite versions is basically a given.

Yes, this more time has been given to get more complete/polished apps. But that doesn't require that they be jam packed with every conceivable feature ... Just that they be documented well enough for the average Joe to operate without having to resort to prayer.

Time limits, nag-screens, ad-ware ... icky. Granted my entry last year did contain a company logo on the about screen, and was only part of a suite of utilities that are to be a commercial product (if it ever gets finished). But it stood on its own just fine, and it benefited greatly from the user input I received. I've still got a To-Do list of things to add and/or tweak for when the project reopens.

[Deozaan]

other idea -> one application can only once take part in NANY,
so next time the application will not be new.

This is exactly right. One of the NANY requirements has always been that your application must not have been released before (or is basically a complete rewrite, thus making it new).

[DeVamp]

My personal opinion is that NANY should stay free, not shareware.

But once NANY is over, the author is free to do with the next versions whatever he wants.

So : The version released for NANY is free, subsequent versions can be released as shareware, but then maybe not on this forum (or is my last tought wrong?)

[wraith808]

^ +1.  Those are my thoughts too.

[grandpastan]

As always. An excellent job. Thanks guys.

[vitali_y]

DC is a great place where it possible at least to discuss/post about software.
But really, as the author, I do not see a sense to publish my soft as Freeware.
Free for a year with nagscreen after the period - is OK.
Free at all - no no - no sense... Just promotion - great - but what is then?
Just make people happy with new (may be usefull) software - sounds good.
Made first version not so good, what people after year will take a look to next shareware version -
for me this is a cheating.

[timns]

The way I look at DC is as a splendid resource and proving ground for my work. Plus I have made some good friends 

The gang here have so far: suggested neat features, patiently tested, helped to fix, created logos and graphics, offered to document, and yes, donated hard cold cash to help me create my software.

All of that is worth a lot to me - probably more than the price of a few loose sales, and (I hope) reflects in the stability and quality of the final product.

Therefore, in return, I believe that anyone who is an active DC member has earned the right to a copy of my program. If they really like it they will, I hope, donate... but the real key here is that they are part of the DC community, and thus help keep it alive, interesting and fun.

The rest of the world has a choice: buy a license and help me, or join DC, hopefully make a donation, and help a lot of people. I shall give them the option to do either or ideally both 

[vitali_y]

just small remark: there is a view point what almost no one make donations for software, even if software is a usefull in everyday work...

[steeladept]

vitali_y, I understand your point, I really do.  I even agree with everything you say.  If you don't feel it is something to release free of charge, then don't.  I don't have a problem with that and either does anyone else I on this forum that I have seen.  Now, that said, does that mean it should be eligible as a NANY entry?  From this subject, I would say the consensus is NO.  Please charge.  Please tell us about it, and even make a thread just for that software offering.  I am sure there are people here who would be more than happy to buy it and many more who would at least consider it.  I am currently in a financial crunch and can't even buy a cup of coffee right now, but I do buy software when I can and I do donate here semi-frequently when I find software useful.  Indeed, I have donated to a few projects multiple times, just because I find them that useful.  Am I in a minority?  Perhaps, but here at DC I think it is much more common than in the general populous of the internet.  And I know for a fact I am no where near as generous as some here.  It is humbling to me, but something I have found to be true of DC members in general.  Not all can give money, but most will give in whatever way they can.

[cranioscopical]

does that mean it should be eligible as a NANY entry?  From this subject, I would say the consensus is NO.  Please charge.  Please tell us about it, and even make a thread just for that software offering. 

Well said! We may be verging on splitting hairs but this isn't about the worth of any particular piece of software. It's about whether shareware comes under the umbrella of NANY.

[Perry Mowbray]

does that mean it should be eligible as a NANY entry?  From this subject, I would say the consensus is NO.  Please charge.  Please tell us about it, and even make a thread just for that software offering.

Well said! We may be verging on splitting hairs but this isn't about the worth of any particular piece of software. It's about whether shareware comes under the umbrella of NANY.

I think the Announcements would be an appropriate place? Announce Your Software/Service/Product

[kyrathaba]

I lean toward the NANY version being Free / Donationware for its life (no time-limit, no nag screen after a period of time).

There is nothing stopping further development happening after NANY and a paid version(s) released at a later date.

+1.