I'' Just put my thought how a normal programmer can make money from free software.ie GPL ed software.first if he made the decision of open source the code,it should be publisized properly as it needs persons/companies to be attracted.eventhough others are accessable to the code,not all are programmers(like me!
) .there are wishlists to the already available program.the author can charge a premium for enhancements and other add-ons,compatiblities to other architecture,also for security updates,subscriptions to newer versions of OSS.So the point is without
donations free code programmer can live by earning.Another Point is there are umpteen other possibilities also which a clever mind can make to earn from OSS.
I think small companies(a bunch of pals) are earning great these days by programming using LAMP for major public/private and international clients.
But There are many negatives also.for eg;if ur s/w is GPLed,somebody may fork it!that means your s/w is now have a competitor on the same area
but it is highly unpredictable about the success of the fork.
but this is the same case with a propreitory softwares which will with time develop competitors albeit the difference is the codes are different unlike OSS.
But I believe that programmers who want to earn from Free Software are more interested in BSD Licences which necessarily means not to contribute back to the original.
please share your thoughts about this
