Do you remember Haikuware.com? do you remember shareware programs, later donateware or adware? My idea for
today is a presentation of the future concept of using software.
Subscription for shareware applications in the SaaS model - a website like dobreprogramy.pl (Polish) or sourceforge.net or majorgeeks.com with a subscription plan for shareware programs (similar to Stadia and Steam).
up to 3 programs per month,
Wish List,
software maintenance, i.e. paying for the latest versions of additionally owned shareware programs, e.g. $39,
e.g. $49 monthly fee for the programs you purchase, terminating the contract means you will not receive updates
The concept of a “private domain” where the software is exclusive to you and an “entrepreneurial domain” for companies and general resale (if possible) of licenses for shareware programs. All this to encourage programmers to work and introduce new technologies in programs - hitech for no great fee.
Why I’m writing this on the Haiku forum is because this idea came from a combination of thoughts, starting with Haikuware.com
which unfortunately failed, I don’t know for what reasons (financial? #)
Haiku is an open source system that uses programs of this type, unfortunately, in my opinion, it slows down the development not only of the system but also of the community.
That’a all
Haikuware was mostly freeware and open source software. It didn’t fail, it was killed (alongside with bebits) by the owner who did not like the way Haiku implemented package management
SaaS is an industry euphemism for “keep paying us forever”.
Subscriptions are a major reason why I, for one, am looking for alternatives to the main operating systems. I don’t mind paying for software if it is good. I object to paying, month after month, regardless of whether new versions are actually an improvement. If Haiku or its major apps become subscription based, I’ll take my toys and move somewhere else.
Shareware is dead. Software is now either free or commercial. If you want to be commercial, fine. I can live with that. Make your app so much better than the free equivalent that I’ll be willing to send you some money. Next version, let me decide if your upgrade is worth it.
Sure, I pay Netflix every month. If they stop bringing out new content, I’ll stop payment and switch to Disney+. Software is not like that. If I stop paying the subscription on your bitmap editor, it stops working and I lose functionality. Yes, then I can go back to the free equivalent. Well, why not just have that in the first place? Or if you actually sold me the editor, I pay you once and it keeps on working.
If you need something more than once better buying it for sure. Though, I think that getting access to an advanced software without buying it can still be interesting for users if it is a one shot thing. The same way that you will use a bike in your day to day life but will rent a car for special occasions.
So it means that the software has to be quite specific, very intuitive and, must solve a problem encountered once or twice by a large amount of persons. You can imagine, for example, something that helps planning a wedding.
I wanted to apologize you, my head works like an antenna. I found out that this solution will be available in new windows. This involves paying for security updates.
My idea is multi-dimensional, it more secures future “unemployed” programmers who do something after hours and do not want to give away their work as open source
