Will You Help Change The Way Open-Source Apps are Funded?
Can software developers make money by open-sourcing their applications and giving them away for free?
软件开发者将软件开源然后无私赠与能赚钱吗？
That’s the question that software developer and co-host of the popular Linux podcast ‘The Linux Action Show’ Bryan Lunduke is aiming to answer by putting his neck on the line.
软件开发者， 著名Linux播客‘The Linux Action Show’ 合创者Bryan Lunduke将用其亲身经历回答这个问题。
Lunduke is pledging to open-source and distribute his portfolio of hitherto paid software – which includes the Linux distro management simulator Linux Tycoon – for free, under the GPL, if he can reach a donation-driven funding goal of $4000/m.
他许诺将使用GPL授权免费发布其目前为止所有的付费软件（包括Linux Tycoon）， 如果他能拿到$4000/m的捐款。
Reaching this goal, Lunduke says, ‘will provide proof for others, who would also like to move their software businesses to be open source, that it is doable.’
Gamble
The experiement is a gamble for Lunduke, who already distributes several of his software titles through Ubuntu Software Center as well as his own website.
这次活动对于已经在USC上和其个人网站上发布多款软件的他来说更像是一场赌博。
“In the past, I’ve argued that this is simply not a viable way to fund development based on one simple fact: There aren’t a lot of success stories out there of indie developers earning a living off contributions”, he writes on his blog.
他说， 在过去这种方式几乎不可能成功， 因为过去没有成功案例。
And he has a point.
The ‘contribution’ model, the method de jour for many FOSS developers, often fails because the percentage of users willing to donate is, typically, small, and of those who do donate most only do so once.
捐款的方式经常会失败因为愿意捐款的人占少数， 并且他们一般只捐一次。
This ‘sum dump and run’ approach isn’t sustainable in the long term.
过去“筹够钱就开始开发”的方式不能让软件开发持续下去。
So Lunduke is going on a different tack: encouraging users willing to support this ‘development model’ to set up a recurrent donation of whatever sum they choose, even as little as $2 per month.
因此他建议采用另外的方式， 即让用户每月捐一点， 甚至可以一月捐2$
“This will allow me just enough to get by and focus on creating Open Source software. One time contributions can then cover operating costs (equipment, servers, etc.).”
“这会让我们更集中精力在开发软件商。 一次性捐款也是没有问题的， 他们可以用在设备购置上”
This ‘mutal commitment’ model between user and developer could invigorate the way many open-source projects are funded and maintained.
这种“互相负责”的模式会让开源软件开发更加强壮
What’s Next
Bryan told us that, should he hit his donation target on schedule that he will ‘immediately set up source control and project management for all projects.’
Amongst those projects users can expect to find: –
他即将开源的软件包括
But Bryan doesn’t anticipate contributor involvement ending at just pressing a ‘Donate’ button, telling us: –
但他不希望用户仅仅捐款， 他说：
“The goal is to allow the community a much greater level of involvement and ownership in the development and decision making process. This will be a completely Free & Open Source set of projects, with me as a full time developer and organizer.”
他希望用户能够更多地参与到开发和决策中。
Donors can also, should they wish, have their name included in the about box of the software.
How to Help
Users interested in helping Bryan prove that open-source software can be provided for free but still be economically viable to create then have until Monday June 4th to pledge some spare change to his cause.
捐款截止 Monday June 4th
Should the goal not be reached in time Lunduke will ‘hit the refund‘ button, giving all those who donated their money back.
如果到时他没能达到数额， 他也会将捐款全数退回
More information, along with links making contributions, can found @ lunduke.com
With thanks to Bryan