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Free Source Code Available To Download

blog.apptopia.com

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Re: Free Source Code Available To Download

#2

Post by drivingmenuts »

I disagree with the part of his post that reads: "First, to do a chargeback when you are buying software and or intellectual property rights is repugnant. Its something you can never give back. No matter what. It can never be deleted. And you know this when you are making the acquisition."

There is not other way to signal to the developer that the software is not what you thought it was. For instance, I purchased a note-taking app from the App Store last night that turned out to not be what I needed. There was no way of knowing this beforehand because there is no free version that I could test and pirating it would have been way more trouble than it's worth (plus, I'm not doing that anymore).

So, what's the reasonable solution? For physical goods, if I'm unhappy with the purchase, I can return the item and receive a refund. For software, there is no good return method.

Now, one could argue that it's only a $10 app, but that isn't the point. The point is that $10 paid for something that I don't want or need, and while $10 probably isn't much to me, it should not be yours because your product failed to meet my needs.

As for the rest of the post, the purchaser in that case was out of line. He'd bought the product, used it for a significant amount of time, and apparently gotten some value out of it. At that point, there should be no ability to return the item.

Re: Free Source Code Available To Download

#3

Post by jckay »

drivingmenuts wrote: post #2

I disagree with the part of his post that reads: "First, to do a chargeback when you are buying software and or intellectual property rights is repugnant. Its something you can never give back. No matter what. It can never be deleted. And you know this when you are making the acquisition." There is not other way to signal to the developer that the software is not what you thought it was. For instance, I purchased a n…

You make a really fair point. In fact, its why most really successful apps (and software companies in general) all have a free-to-paid model or some sort of trial basis.

With Apptopia, we build in a "Code Review" layer. So if you are concerned about the quality of the code you are buying we can dive as deep as you would like before the acquisition is final.

Also, all apps listed on Apptopia are currently on an app store (so all buyers can and should be testing the apps as a consumer, before acquiring it).

Either way, appreciate you getting involved in the conversation. Hope the code is of some value to you =)

Jonathan

Re: Free Source Code Available To Download

#4

Post by vog »

It isn't really clear from the article under what license the source is available. For instance, is it using a common Free Software license such as GPL or a BSD-like one, such that interesting parties can actually do something with it? That would be much more consumer friendly than the mere permission to have a look at it.

Re: Free Source Code Available To Download

#5

Post by habosa »

drivingmenuts wrote: post #2

I disagree with the part of his post that reads: "First, to do a chargeback when you are buying software and or intellectual property rights is repugnant. Its something you can never give back. No matter what. It can never be deleted. And you know this when you are making the acquisition." There is not other way to signal to the developer that the software is not what you thought it was. For instance, I purchased a n…

On Apptopia you don't buy apps, you buy all of the source code and distribution rights to an app. So in this case the buyer bought the previously closed-source code, took what he needed from it, and then filed a chargeback. That's much different than buying a packaged app for personal use from an App Store.

Re: Free Source Code Available To Download

#8

Post by jckay »

vog wrote: post #4

It isn't really clear from the article under what license the source is available. For instance, is it using a common Free Software license such as GPL or a BSD-like one, such that interesting parties can actually do something with it? That would be much more consumer friendly than the mere permission to have a look at it.

Wow. This is an amazing point, and quite honestly i am sorry for not including it. My intent is to have people DO SOMETHING WITH IT. Not just to look at it. I want people to very much do anything they find of value with it. Would that be more GPL or BSD? I will update the post...

Re: Free Source Code Available To Download

#10

Post by M4v3R »

jckay wrote: post #8
vog wrote: post #4

It isn't really clear from the article under what license the source is available. For instance, is it using a common Free Software license such as GPL or a BSD-like one, such that interesting parties can actually do something with it? That would be much more consumer friendly than the mere permission to have a look at it.

Wow. This is an amazing point, and quite honestly i am sorry for not including it. My intent is to have people DO SOMETHING WITH IT. Not just to look at it. I want people to very much do anything they find of value with it. Would that be more GPL or BSD? I will update the post...

Go with BSD if you want people to do something with it. Unless you don't want for people to make closed source apps with it, then go with GPL.
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