in reply to Re: Licensing your software
in thread Licensing your software

I may be wrong--Jouke probably knows the situation far better--but it seems like the GPL license will only solve one of his problems; namely, it will prevent the program from being sold to the loss of those who can't afford it.

What it won't do is solve the problem of distribution. Because of his intended target, he can't just put the project up on sourceforge and expect the people who need it to find it. That leaves just word-of-mouth, which is slow, or the person Jouke mentioned. The person will probably spread the news faster and further if motivated. If he wants to help people, then the GPL should solve problems without introducing new ones. But if the person is only motivated by money (which I suspect, given that the chatterbox was inconclusive), then the problem may not be solved.

And no, I don't have any ideas. :(

  • Comment on (kudra: Distribution a problem too?) Re(2): Licensing your software

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Re: (kudra: Distribution a problem too?) Re(2): Licensing your software
by da (Friar) on May 15, 2001 at 09:20 UTC
    There is no reason you need to do this alone. Your software looks like it fills a huge need, and there are smart people who will be glad to help you promote your free software, even if they don't know anything about GPL.

    If distribution is an issue: you probably should contact The Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe. You should consider presenting your software at assistive technology conferences, where people who make buying decisions will see it. This is where your vendor friend would probably go to advertise in their vendor area. You could present a paper or "poster session" which would get you free publicity.

    You might qualify for technology grants to develop (and possibly market) this yourself; in the U.S. the government offers funds for "Small Business Innovation Research" which would likely cover this development, to the tune of $30,000 for six months and/or $100,000 for three years.

    Since you own the copyright on the software you could license pVoice to vendors under a non-GPL license that states that they can charge no more than $x for the software to cover their advertising/distribution costs. If you want to do any deals with vendors, you should find a local business lawyer to back you up; you know the vendors will have a legal staff, so you should too. If you look hard you might find one who will take this up pro bono or at heavily discounted rates.

    Finally, you might want to do a google search for assistive technology netherlands and see who comes up. There are almost certainly non-profit organizations that would jump at the chance to help; possibly acting as an "umbrella organization" to get you grants to do further development; and provide advertising and distribution assistance.

    Sorry if these recommendations seem obvious or too basic; I wanted to make sure all the bases are covered! 

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-DA

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      Thanks for your suggestions, but I think they are missing an important point. I'm not developing this as a company, but as a private person. I can't afford going to conferences like you suggest, lawyers cost even more money, and I have to find the first lawyer that is good AND does things pro bono.

      I am however looking for -as you call it- an umbrella organization, who can provide assistance.
      In NL you have the BOSK, which is an association for parents of disabled children, very well-known and may do something for me in this area...who knows...

      Jouke Visser, Perl 'Adept'
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        If any of the suggestions help, that's good. I wanted to offer the largest number of possible suggestions for reaching your goals... I realize you're a programmer and father, not a businessman or non-profit project-manager. Maybe the right way is to find a non-profit partner who can assist, though an umbrella organization. 
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-DA

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Re: (kudra: Distribution a problem too?) Re(2): Licensing your software
by Jouke (Curate) on May 15, 2001 at 12:32 UTC
    Indeed I'm worried about the distribution. In fact I don't really care if anyone tries to make a profit out of my product. I do care if the eventual customer does not understand things like the GPL, buys the product for maybe $400 from a supplier, and never hears about the free availability of the product.

    It's a new thing, and it will take time before the (small) market for this hears about it, and about its costs. Before that a lot of possible suppliers may have had the opportunity to sell it for a lot of money, which is -under the terms of the GPL- legal business.

    We -as perlmonks- know about free software, and that free is not the same as bad (in fact, more often the opposite), but the large crowd out there still doesn't know about it.

    Jouke Visser, Perl 'Adept'
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      In a real sense, your market is not the kids who'll be using the software, it's the non-profit organizations (and possibly also government organizations) that can promote the software and give it the infrastructure to get it to the end-users.

      I think if you find a few international assistive-technology email mailing lists to post to, and get the attention of a few local or regional non-profits who are willing to look into software for handicapped kids, they will do a lot ot get your software to its intended end-users. If you can find good nonprofits they will do much better marketting than commercial vendors, since they will be talking to people who probably trust them and may have even provided free services to them before. The software's merits will mean more to the end-users than any perceived problem from its free cost.

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      -DA

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