Comments on: The Business of PHP http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/ News, opinion, and fresh thinking for web developers and designers. The official podcast of sitepoint.com. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:54:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Olate http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2164 Olate Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2164 <p>I've been involved in both sides. My company (it wasn't a company at the time) originally developed a free, now LGPLd download manager in PHP. Now we also have 2 commercial PHP products, one of which plugs into the free download manager and the other allows othgers software developers to sell their software! I think it is useful to have experience from both sides and to continue work on free, open source products at the same time as developing commercial applications.</p> I’ve been involved in both sides. My company (it wasn’t a company at the time) originally developed a free, now LGPLd download manager in PHP. Now we also have 2 commercial PHP products, one of which plugs into the free download manager and the other allows othgers software developers to sell their software! I think it is useful to have experience from both sides and to continue work on free, open source products at the same time as developing commercial applications.

]]> By: pdxi http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2165 pdxi Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2165 <p>Ha ha - nice fixie tie-in with the article :)</p> Ha ha – nice fixie tie-in with the article :)

]]> By: norbert_m http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2166 norbert_m Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2166 <p>I'm working on multiple open source PHP solutions targeting the Enterprise. Its too early to talk about them now but they look very promising. I definitely plan to come up with usable products for this fairly new, growing segment.</p> I’m working on multiple open source PHP solutions targeting the Enterprise. Its too early to talk about them now but they look very promising. I definitely plan to come up with usable products for this fairly new, growing segment.

]]> By: NameNick http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2167 NameNick Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2167 <p>We started devoloping an online booking system back in the year 2000. Although the software has been commercial since the beginning, we kept the prices on a low level in order to target small and middle sized businesses.</p> We started devoloping an online booking system back in the year 2000. Although the software has been commercial since the beginning, we kept the prices on a low level in order to target small and middle sized businesses.

]]> By: charmedlover http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2168 charmedlover Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2168 <p>I've developed (and working on the next versions) a content management system used by many of my website's members. It is free and open source.</p> <p>As I develop the next version I constantly debate whether or not to keep it open source. I need to make money off of it, and really prefer open source. I'm thinking of doing something similar to what Olate did (as I've seen their licensing software and actualy plan to use it) by offering a license with viewable source and others that are encoded. I'd rather keep it all open source, but then people would just remove licensing code. What binds it would have to be things such as customer agreements and such. You cannot have open source with a few encoded files ;)</p> I’ve developed (and working on the next versions) a content management system used by many of my website’s members. It is free and open source.

As I develop the next version I constantly debate whether or not to keep it open source. I need to make money off of it, and really prefer open source. I’m thinking of doing something similar to what Olate did (as I’ve seen their licensing software and actualy plan to use it) by offering a license with viewable source and others that are encoded. I’d rather keep it all open source, but then people would just remove licensing code. What binds it would have to be things such as customer agreements and such. You cannot have open source with a few encoded files ;)

]]> By: Div By Zero http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2169 Div By Zero Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2169 <p>We are working on booth GPL code and proprietary code and think that there's enough space for booth of them. Lot's of interesting OS projects are often afflicted by poor GUI and for libraries (see all the Ajax framework born this month) they're often too immature too be used at an enterprise level. This is a good compromise since developers and small company have free good products that just need some fixes while enterprise can find a large number of company willing to develope (or sell) commercial product with better assistence and more tuning on GUI and bugs.</p> We are working on booth GPL code and proprietary code and think that there’s enough space for booth of them. Lot’s of interesting OS projects are often afflicted by poor GUI and for libraries (see all the Ajax framework born this month) they’re often too immature too be used at an enterprise level. This is a good compromise since developers and small company have free good products that just need some fixes while enterprise can find a large number of company willing to develope (or sell) commercial product with better assistence and more tuning on GUI and bugs.

]]> By: Olate http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2170 Olate Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2170 <p>Yes, that is the problem for many companies - they feel that open source means that it is always volunteers doing it in their spare time with no real guarantee that the project with continue or that they'll get support. In my experience, this is often true; but it is also true for commercial products too. It helps to have a company behind an OS product.</p> Yes, that is the problem for many companies – they feel that open source means that it is always volunteers doing it in their spare time with no real guarantee that the project with continue or that they’ll get support. In my experience, this is often true; but it is also true for commercial products too. It helps to have a company behind an OS product.

]]> By: Dean C http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2171 Dean C Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2171 <p>Some good points raised. I think there are still huge gaps in the market for commercial PHP software :) It'll be interesting to see what the market is like come 5 years time ;)</p> Some good points raised. I think there are still huge gaps in the market for commercial PHP software :) It’ll be interesting to see what the market is like come 5 years time ;)

]]> By: solutionsphp http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2172 solutionsphp Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2172 <p>Well-timed post, as we look back on 10 years in the life of PHP. </p> <p>I firmly believe in the philosophies behind open source. As a web developer, I've always looked to open source to provide cost-effective solutions for clients. For some projects, we've kicked back funds but surely not nearly enough to even come close to covering the time and expertise of open source developers. </p> <p>As another way of giving back, we're currently working on the development of several open source apps for web developers' use. We can then turn around and offer these apps to web development clients, still as free software but upsell their installation, configuration and customization. For at least 2 of the apps we're developing, we'll be creating both lite and pro versions. The pro versions will be marketed independently and made available under a commercial license.</p> <p>Overall, our strategy was developed with the goals of supporting the open source movement, while also monetizing some of our efforts. It's not an original business model, but one that will hopefully pay off for us while also contributing to the open source community.</p> Well-timed post, as we look back on 10 years in the life of PHP.

I firmly believe in the philosophies behind open source. As a web developer, I’ve always looked to open source to provide cost-effective solutions for clients. For some projects, we’ve kicked back funds but surely not nearly enough to even come close to covering the time and expertise of open source developers.

As another way of giving back, we’re currently working on the development of several open source apps for web developers’ use. We can then turn around and offer these apps to web development clients, still as free software but upsell their installation, configuration and customization. For at least 2 of the apps we’re developing, we’ll be creating both lite and pro versions. The pro versions will be marketed independently and made available under a commercial license.

Overall, our strategy was developed with the goals of supporting the open source movement, while also monetizing some of our efforts. It’s not an original business model, but one that will hopefully pay off for us while also contributing to the open source community.

]]> By: Dr Livingston http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/08/the-business-of-php/comment-page-1/#comment-2173 Dr Livingston Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 1062455976#comment-2173 <p>> As a side note, I propose that this may be a cause of the PHP community's unquenchable desire for reinventing the wheel - but I'll save that for another blog post.</p> <p>You could be right on this point, but I can't see it changing anytime soon. I want to make a living and yes I also want to prosper not just finiancally but as a developer.</p> <p>If I had to make my code base public domain then to me personally this would defeat the purpose. I strive to better myself as a developer, I don't strive to better other developers in a commercial sense.</p> <p>Is that being selfish? I don't know...</p> > As a side note, I propose that this may be a cause of the PHP community’s unquenchable desire for reinventing the wheel – but I’ll save that for another blog post.

You could be right on this point, but I can’t see it changing anytime soon. I want to make a living and yes I also want to prosper not just finiancally but as a developer.

If I had to make my code base public domain then to me personally this would defeat the purpose. I strive to better myself as a developer, I don’t strive to better other developers in a commercial sense.

Is that being selfish? I don’t know…

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