Posted by Kenneth Downs on 10/27/06 10:49

stryfedll wrote:

> I've been working on an E-Commerce application like OSCommerce, except
> mine is object-oriented, with a much better architecture, and a lot of
> AJAX. I originally intended to release it as Open Source, and I still
> may, but, recently I've been wondering how I could profit off the
> script.
>
> Selling the script doesn't seem to be a viable option, since if I sell
> the application in full it can easily be duped. My best idea has been
> to release the script, but make an off-site file old all of the primary
> functions of the application. In those functions would be a script for
> displaying the results of a product search, where I could place ads
> every 10 or so entries down.
>
> Does anyone have any thoughts on how to profit from your applications?

The primary source of profit from a useful program will be your own
customers: the program will make your products attractive, bringing in
sales, and if they are truly useful, allow you to complete work quickly and
have reduced support costs. This is the main goal of our own GPL'd
product.

From there, you can release the product for two main reasons. First is to
give back to the community, second is shameless self-promotion, to be known
as the source of good stuff, which also brings in more sales.

However, you use the word "script" to define what you've done, suggesting it
may not be a large comprehensive system. In this case, you may want to
make it a practice to release a lot of scripts, because not many people can
profit from providing a single script to the programming public, it just
doesn't go to critical mass.

--
Kenneth Downs
Secure Data Software, Inc.
(Ken)nneth@(Sec)ure(Dat)a(.com)

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