Open Source Questions


2 Votes
2 Answers
3.99K Views
Using Open Source software as a marketing tactic?

Is it a good idea to offer a less featured version of your software as open source as a marketing strategy? It obviously has worked well for companies like MySQL and wondering if it could work for...

asked Sep 9 '14 at 15:42
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Glenda Gregory
12 points

2 Votes
1 Answers
2.76K Views
Using open source projects to get more clients?

We are a new development consulting shop and figuring out how to get new clients. There is a lot of blog posts and talk about contributing to open source and it attracts potential clients.Has...

asked Jun 1 '14 at 15:25
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Bette Miller
14 points

3 Votes
1 Answers
2.75K Views
Selling T-shirts and other branded items a good revenue source for open source projects?

I'm trying to figure out how to monetize my open source contributions on GitHub.Does anyone have any experience with selling branded shwag to people who use your repo?What other ways can I make...

asked Mar 2 '14 at 13:35
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Brian Daniels
45 points

2 Votes
2 Answers
2.51K Views
Making money from open source project?

I have a script that I have developed that I had a need for but nothing was available. Is it possible to make money from an open source product? How can I monetize it and why would people pay me...

asked Feb 8 '14 at 16:39
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Cao Tuyết Thanh
11 points

0 Votes
3 Answers
2.67K Views
Venues in which to promote a product as a teenager

I'm fifteen, and I just created a product. I've got the code done, but I have no experience with the actually marketing a product. So, how can I, as a teenager with no money, promote my project....

asked Dec 4 '13 at 13:32
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Dylan Katz
10 points

2 Votes
3 Answers
2.92K Views
How one can make money hosting open source software

I have read that for open source software developers, 3 common ways to make money are hosting, consulting, and support. I understand support and consulting but what is hosting? When I read...

asked Oct 14 '13 at 03:25
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Victor
137 points

0 Votes
2 Answers
2.74K Views
Using OSS libraries in my product - will that protect from patent litigation?

I am working on an innovative product that uses a GNU GPL licensed library and per GPL needs open-source my work as well. Could that protect me from patent litigation? I am worried since my former...

asked Sep 2 '13 at 12:52
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Gupshup
52 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
2.42K Views
Can I create open source out of an idea I voiced at my current employer after I quit?

Can I create open source out of an idea I voiced at my current employer after I quit? I've had this idea which would make the work my company does, and its competitors, more efficient. I voiced...

asked Jul 17 '13 at 10:45
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Btd
11 points

3 Votes
3 Answers
2.45K Views
Ownership Issue of Open Source project when moving to VC funding

An open source project I designed & developed as my thesis in grad school has been continuing development through a non profit organization that hired me full time. Throughout my work there,...

asked Jul 4 '13 at 01:54
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Kim Prisin
16 points

2 Votes
1 Answers
3.07K Views
Need help to understand the pros and cons between open source vs closed source license for webapp?

I'd like to ask you for the help/advise to come out of the problem that came out recently in our group. We're working for 3-4 months on the web application similar to http://instagram.com/ or...

asked May 10 '13 at 22:06
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Igor
111 points

0 Votes
1 Answers
2.4K Views
How do I ask help and search people for contribution for my git/open source project

I am basically involved in wordpress site development but a self starter for rails. I want to transform my idea into a rail app and I am contributing it on git(at a very initial level this time),...

asked Feb 24 '13 at 21:24
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Swapnesh
113 points

0 Votes
2 Answers
2.03K Views
Release project as open source 'half done'

In the words of Scott Burnham, in 14 ways to get hacked, rule number 7. 'Release your work half done', I have a project that requires the 'iron to be struck whilst its hot' so to speak, but I don't...

asked Jan 26 '13 at 23:03
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Andrew Welch
167 points

2 Votes
1 Answers
2.19K Views
Can I use crowd-funding to switch to an open-source model?

I am the technical founder of a 4-years-old startup. After two rounds of funding with small European VCs, some very good customers (government agencies, big retail customer, ...), a unique product...

asked Dec 13 '12 at 07:34
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Math
111 points

0 Votes
1 Answers
2.05K Views
Open-source pirates

Are there any well-known cases of open source piracy? By that I mean cases where a developer releases their project with an open source license and someone else takes their product and markets it...

asked Nov 17 '12 at 06:02
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Ted.Strauss
123 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
2.36K Views
FLOSS licensing: should I force copyleft notice in footer?

I'm developing a fairly large web-application with a public-facing JSON REST API, mobile apps for every platform (using AngularJS with Apache Cordova) and specialised e-commerce configurable by...

asked Oct 22 '12 at 19:03
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Stackoverflowuser95
6 points

1 Votes
4 Answers
2.91K Views
Does building upon open source software affect company valuation positively?

Most startups and quick-risers promoted publicly are building intellectual property on top of open source software stacks. Aside from avoiding upfront investments towards license, is there any...

asked Oct 5 '12 at 03:49
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Ronaldwidha
106 points

0 Votes
3 Answers
2.44K Views
Opensource vs custom development strategy

The possible advantages of using something like Drupal is a dev time-saver. But if we were to develop a minimum viable product / proof of concept / prototype using Drupal, other developers could...

asked Oct 16 '12 at 23:51
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Gyrostu
6 points

-2 Votes
1 Answers
1.85K Views
Doubt on open source

Ok. I have started to port an open source project from Linux to Windows. My doubt is, can i sell it for money after porting to windows? is it ethical?

asked Aug 16 '12 at 01:43
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Ss Hegde
60 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
3.1K Views
Please explain to me , how does software like SMPlayer or VLC or UMPlayer do revenue (all open source)

as software developer, i can't understand how does software's like SMPlayer or VLC or UMPlayer do there revenue , they all open-source they all downloaded Millions of times they all professional...

asked Jul 22 '12 at 21:40
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Meir
238 points

0 Votes
5 Answers
4.03K Views
Is the traditional 'selling (closed source) software licenses' model still a viable business model?

I have developed a library that I would like to license to customers in the traditional way: users are paying for a license for a closed source library which allows them to use the library for a...

asked Jun 10 '12 at 18:15
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Mark
1 point