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Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

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Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#41

Post by byefruit »

benwerd wrote: post #7

I've built two open source startups, totaling a decade of my life. Take it from me: the only way to do this sustainably is open core. That means you make the core software open, but you sell the features that businesses will pay for or that allow other people to make money. Think of it as two distinct products for two distinct userbases. In effect, the open source software becomes lead gen; the closed software is you…

How do you handle contributions to the open core? Do you require a CLA?

I've been wondering about this for a project of mine. If one goes for an AGPL license but offers a commercial license for those that can't comply then a CLA is necessary from any contributors.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#42

Post by JR1427 »

From the FAQs of https://burnernote.com

" How does this product make money? It doesn't. Making money isn't the point of this product. "

Usually the case that people set out with lofty ambitions of being above the money, but this changes when something gets popular.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#43

Post by eddyg »

vunderba wrote: post #16
gigamick wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://burnernote.com - company is looking for some specific features added.

Oh yeah I've seen variants of this concept, Safenote, comes to mind which expires based off X views or Y days, but nice to see an open source one like yours!

Yopass⁽¹⁾ is the one I’m familiar with.

⁽¹⁾ https://github.com/jhaals/yopass

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#44

Post by em-bee »

andreareina wrote: post #17
HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's interesting. What licenses have you seen that prohibit charging for work on the associated product?

Don't know if it's what GP means but without a clear contract there's room for the paid work to be considered "work for hire" which means the company owns the change and OP wouldn't be able to incorporate it into the open source version of the project.

if the company uses the original product under a GPL license, then any changes they make (or pay the original developer (or anyone else) to make) have to be GPL too. the company would still own the copyright for that code, but it would be no different from any other contribution to the project.

if the company uses the product under a different license, then making the change public would have to be negotiated. a consideration for the company among others is that the company thinks that the change would be a competitive edge they would like to keep themselves (although most often that is an illusion, and the extra cost of maintaining that branch is not worth the advantage. this is something the developer needs to communicate)

if the nature of the changes make maintaining a separate branch difficult then i would make it clear up front that such a change can only be made if it is incorporated in the FOSS version of the product.

alternatively, i remember from the early days of zope, one of the project owners told me that they would offer companies a 10% discount if they would allow them to make the change public.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#45

Post by rsingireddy »

Hey I run a consultancy that helps solve exactly this kind of problem. Our main business is connecting open source freelancers with companies, but we've often see this use case where a company has a specific open source need and we help facilitate this. Let me know if you want to chat more - we could take over everything and we take a 10% cut. This is us: https://www.hydraoss.io/

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#46

Post by GTP »

shiroiushi wrote: post #35
GTP wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depends on the license: e.g. the GPL can't be revoked, so once something gets GPL'd it remains so forever.

No it doesn't. If you're the sole copyright holder of the code (e.g. it's a project you did by yourself), you can do what you want with it, including switching to a proprietary license. You can't retroactively un-GPL any copies that other people already have, of course, and it probably would look bad to take away older GPL versions from your GitHub page or wherever they're hosted, but you absolutely can make all new…

> You can't retroactively un-GPL any copies that other people already have

That's what I meant when I said that you can't revoke the GPL. Of course with new versions you have more freedom, but what was relased under the GPL remains available under the GPL.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#47

Post by andreareina »

em-bee wrote: post #44
andreareina wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't know if it's what GP means but without a clear contract there's room for the paid work to be considered "work for hire" which means the company owns the change and OP wouldn't be able to incorporate it into the open source version of the project.

if the company uses the original product under a GPL license, then any changes they make (or pay the original developer (or anyone else) to make) have to be GPL too. the company would still own the copyright for that code, but it would be no different from any other contribution to the project. if the company uses the product under a different license, then making the change public would have to be negotiated. a cons…

Only if they distribute the software.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#48

Post by Delphiza »

I agree with some of the advice, but will offer a different take to give you something to think about.

For this single large company enquiry, don't worry about monetising the app yet. Having a single license sold is not really monetisation.

Think about it as a consulting gig on making changes to an OS project. The fact that you are the maintainer is a knowledge and familiarity advantage, not a control one.

Work out how much time it will take to make the changes, double it, and send them a quote. If they buy, make the changes, push an update, and invoice.

Take your time to decide how to monetise the product. For now, just get a good fee for your time. See if you fall back into the project before focussing too much on the business side.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#49

Post by Someone »

GTP wrote: post #46
shiroiushi wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it doesn't. If you're the sole copyright holder of the code (e.g. it's a project you did by yourself), you can do what you want with it, including switching to a proprietary license. You can't retroactively un-GPL any copies that other people already have, of course, and it probably would look bad to take away older GPL versions from your GitHub page or wherever they're hosted, but you absolutely can make all new…

> You can't retroactively un-GPL any copies that other people already have That's what I meant when I said that you can't revoke the GPL. Of course with new versions you have more freedom, but what was relased under the GPL remains available under the GPL.

> but what was relased under the GPL remains available under the GPL.

Not necessarily. The copyright holder only has to provide source to those who got it from them under a GPL license. Others may not be able to get a copy, as those who can ask you for it aren’t obliged to give it to them on request (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#CanIDemandACopy)

There also is the issue as to what happens when a license holder dies or is dissolved. I think that’s a gray area. Let’s say company Foo releases a product with a GPL license and later goes bankrupt. If Bar buys the source code from the bankrupt company, I don’t see how they would have to release it under the GPL, or should legally be obliged have to give the source code to those who got a license from Foo, and Foo can’t provide it anymore, as it doesn’t exist.

Similarly, if you only give (or sell) your GPL-licensed software to an individual who later dies, does their estate inherit the right to ask you for the source code?

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#50

Post by g-b-r »

gigamick wrote: post #10
verdverm wrote: post #3

SaaS is typical, people like recurring revenue. It really depends on what the project does. Can you share a link? Look up COSS and Open Core to get an idea of how others have monetized.

https://burnernote.com - company is looking for some specific features added.

That's a pretty basic service

I guess one way to monetize it would be to sell integrations with enterprise products (preferably only the ones which are already not free).

You could well make the integrations open source as well, just with a different license (I'd personally require payments only for businesses with more than x revenue).

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