All these licenses and business models

[David]

On Fri, 2002-01-18 at 13:25, DeBug wrote:
> >> > 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).
> What is zope type model ?
>From my understanding this is an Open Source project that allows
companies to build web base services. They provide development and
consultancy services with this for a fee and sometimes proprietary.

> >> > 2: I do want to be able to sell the system for a profit.
> Do you want to sell the system or the solution/service ?

We want to offer to the small business community a server solution based
on open source that has many additional business features and apps etc.
ie. they do not need IT experiance to configure this or to use it simply
pay a small amount have it installed and use it. i.e. the intended
audience is not IT literate adn simply want to have a supported and
progressive system with a company behind it to answer queries etc.

> >> > 3: I do want to make source avaliable to let developers and interested
> >> > parties get involved in the system.
> other conditions equal developers prefer to get involved in the free software projects
> instead of open source projects

I agree with this totally.

> >> > 4: I would like to employ only developers who actually contribute to the
> >> > project and pay them for development.
> This condition strips out those developers who fear free competition
> Why do you want to employ ? Couldn't you simply split your project into
> small parts and present each of it to the world wide community of
> developers and pay the first one who implements the one or other part

The project is ready for distribution now and has been running for over
two years in some sites, my main issue is mass distribution without
having to go to the large (grab every buck) institutions. I would like
to grow the product through Open Source and use contributing developers
as other projects do, but attempt to employ the developers if they wish
or at least make payments somehow to them. Essentially mix Open Source
with commercial.

> >> > 5: I would like many to get the system free (education etc.)
> But not all ? Why ? Because those who have lots of money should spend
> them wisely. But why they should pay for your system and not
> somebody's else ?  I think a common software tax would encourage
> people to pay for software if this tax being compulsary would be free
> to choose whom exactly person wants to pay
I do not at this time fear competition from either Open Source or
commercial companies, I support competition. My fear is that a very
small company with a good idea and product releasing open source could
be easilly swallowed up without recompense. I have spent over £200,000
which I could not really afford to get this far and do not want to have
done it in vain.

I am not so sure I understand the tax mechanism you discuss, but am
interested never the less.


> >> > 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).
> Who and how will decide whether your company is substanical enough ?

> 
The only way really is to have a time limit on this and I am intregued
by the delayed Public license that I have only just heard of and not
seen.
> I think your potential future clients should be encouraged to share
> the risks (should pay in advance but should be free to choose whom to
> pay to you or to any potential fork)

This is the dilema I am tring to overcome with GPL type releases. IN my
opinion Open Source is great for development security etc. we all know
the arguments there. An added benifit is the project can continue after
any entity cannot take it further (whether commercial or otherwise). 

Say you had a program that saves lifes and benifits all of mankind and
spent all your cash and more on developing it. It is a small program and
easily forked. You release it GPL or similar tehn teh Linux distros take
it bundel it and say thanks very much. I am not sure what that would
achieve, yea sure it's great if this was a sideline project and done as
a hobby in the evening or similar, but if you had spent five years on it
(as I have) what would you feel like then ?

Thanks very much for the response hopefully I am making my case here but
I am not sure (see www.david-irvin.com ) maybe some background info from
there helps to more easily understand my thinking (or lack of it :-))

David
> --
> Best regards,
>  DeBug                            mailto:debug at centras.lt
> --
> 
> 
> --
> license-discuss archive is at http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3

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