All these licenses and business models

[David]

This sounds very promising

I have considered a free for non commercial use license previously and
mixing this with a couple of other items may in fact be the way forward.
 
> > My issues
> > 1: I do not want to be a services only company, in fact I want to sub
> > contract most services (maybe even zope type model).
> > 2: I do want to be able to sell the system for a profit.
> > 3: I do want to make source avaliable to let developers and interested
> > parties get involved in the system.
> > 4: I would like to employ only developers who actually contribute to the
> > project and pay them for development.
> > 5: I would like many to get the system free (education etc.)
> > 6: I would like to ensure nobody can steal the product or at least delay
> > thsi until we are a substanical company (if we are not good then
> > somebody should fork but I would prefer a fighting chance).
> 
> Hmmm, sounds like pure open source is not what you want. Free Software as a 
> *product* has generally not worked out. Open Source companies making a profit 
> over the long term are using services, addons, hardware, etc. Basically, the 
> software is their loss leader.

You are correct although it appeals very much in that it would help
marketing etc (its's easier to get your product out by giving it away).
I have written a small bit at www.david-irvine.com about going GPL and
some reasons why I like it). Although software as a loss leader would
not work for me.

> 
> But here is something you could do: Sell your software as 
> "semi" open source. Create a license that make the software free for 
> non-commercial use, including education, non-profits, etc. Everyone else has 
> to pay for it. I would even throw in the source code, but don't allow 
> distribution of modifications.
> 

Is there such a license avaliable as a template anywhere you know of?

I like the idea of giving the source code away and relying on peoples
integrity. As Monty of MySQL fame says 'if they steal somebodys code let
it be ours and not a competitior'. 

It would be great to encourage changes to the software by interested
parties and rewarding them with initially a licensed copy for completely
legal use and then hopefully allowing the contributer to the project the
opportunity of full time employment in doing such. This is what I really
want, to build a development company of commited and reliable developers
who actualy want to assist small companies by giving them something they
actually require and at the most reasonable price possible.  

> Then the important part: Release all versions older than one or two years as 
> true open source, and let everyone know that you will be doing so.

This is excellent and would answer my quandry over actually allowing
competition and modification were we not successfully managing the
project. I do like this idea. We do have some code this age and could
actually release it under GPL now, although I would wait a few months
until we are truly running, but it would be good to show a commitment
like this. 

> 
> Aladdin does something similar for Ghostscript, and makes money doing it.
> 
I will check them out thanks very much for the reply - I am going to
post my message to the free software business list
(http://www.cynwr.com/fsb/ ) as suggested by Karsten. 
> -- 
> David Johnson
> ___________________
> http://www.usermode.org
> pgp public key on website

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