Thread: Which software sell policy is the most effective one?

Here are some concepts I have seen.

• (1) Payware only + frequently updated copy protection + only for registered costumers + hunting down warez:
  The strategy is to make it hard for pirates by registering and custom branding the software with personal data of the costumer to prevent him from uploading it at warez community. If a versions getting leaked anyway ban the serial.
• (2) Shareware + frequently updated copy protection + hunting down warez:
  People may try the software and begin to like it. To use it for a longer time them are forced to buy it.
• (3) Shareware + easy to crack copy protection + not hunting down warez:
  Anyone pirate or legal costumer may use the software and spread it to get more famous and hoping there are some people who will pay.
• (3 b) Just like (3) but "crack" you program yourself and then upload it to as much warez communitys like you can in order to get your program more famous.
• (4) Lite Version for free and Premium Version for money:
  Spreed a lite version but include a trick so people want to buy the premium version later. The lite version is to get more famous.
• (5) Freeware + Closed Source + begging for donations:
  Legal freeware and hoping people like it and spread it. Hoping people will donate.
• (6) Open Source + begging for donations + hoping for people to donate source code:
  Risk that someone grabs the source and makes a fork. But good to find some people who help to make a even better product for you for free. Therefore more wide spread and hopefully more donations. Firefox does this pretty successfully, them get money for example from google for the search box.
• (7) Freeware + Closed Source + extensible with skins and plugins:
  Nearly same as above but no risk that someone can make a fork. But as it`s not really Open Source therefore could be less people willing to contribute.

You may also introduce new concepts.

Which concept is most promisingly to get most money out of it?

They all work. It depends on your application and expectations.

MMO's ar eonly one part of the gamign industry, and I think the OP was askign abotu applications in general, not just games. As far as MMO's go, saying that model is the most effecive is like saying if hot dogs are the highest selling item, all our food should be packaged in tubes. No one model is 'the best', they all have their uses.

I was just talking about software in general, nothing special.

What you think about pirating your own product? (spread to warez communitys under other identity) Does this help or is this stupid? It`s a serious question, honestly I don`t know.

Subscription based services are the future. The days of buying boxed software (literally or digitally) are numbered. The only exception I could see to that is an OS.

Another model, used by Trolltech for their Qt:
- Develope an open, free(GPL) and gratis tool kit. Get gratis help from communities such as that of KDE.
- Sell licenses without the "restrictions" of GPL.

Originally Posted by sept

What you think about pirating your own product? (spread to warez communitys under other identity) Does this help or is this stupid? It`s a serious question, honestly I don't know.

[edit] the below is a result of me not reading properly [/edit]
I'm just a user and much of a programmer, but ...
what brewbuck said. In addition, DRM is a great way of alienating what loyal customers you have left.

Originally Posted by Perspective

Subscription based services are the future. The days of buying boxed software (literally or digitally) are numbered. The only exception I could see to that is an OS.

You mean internet based software? The client has just an small client software but most of the work is done on remote in order to protect the intellectual property?

In this case it would become really hard for pirates.

The internet access becomes faster and faster and more and more cheap. When most people have access to the internet then this might become real. But until then it`s still a long way. In my country only 60 % of the country have access to cheap and fast internet, the rest is unlikely to become internet fast because it unreliable for the isps.

But I think there will be always a marked for boxed software. Imagine you have a buisness and need photoshop to create your publications. I think many won`t like the idea that another firm has also control over it. Them may say "you can run your account software on our servers and we will not spy on it but isn`t a good idea to build upon such promises".

Originally Posted by sept

But I think there will be always a marked for boxed software. Imagine you have a buisness and need photoshop to create your publications. I think many won`t like the idea that another firm has also control over it. Them may say "you can run your account software on our servers and we will not spy on it but isn`t a good idea to build upon such promises".

I think that in time, people are just going to get used to it. At least in my country, people seem less and less concerned about privacy anyway.

server side web services are one example. But it can still be local software with a subscription service, think about how your antivirus software works. And as previously mentioned, Red Hat sells support for an OS based on a subscription model.