Journal Journal: Building Software vs. Building Applications 1
Commercial Open Source Software:
Building an application versus a program.
You see, the software world is focused now on the idea that the bits
and bytes of a software program actually have value. They do indeed,
but when you buy a car, do you get a crate full of engine blocks and
alternators? No, you get a pre-assembled car, and if you want to
change the fuel injectors, or add a turbo charger, you are free to do
that. This is essentially the shift that free, open-source software
must make. It must move from selling auto parts to selling whole cars,
or from selling programs to selling applications.
You can buy a laptop with a large hard drive, audio support (only two
channels needed), and a CD burner for under 2 grand. It doesn't have
to be the latest model, it just has to work. Put a load of free
software on there for audio production, and there you have your Application.
A portable, cheap, studio usable for home music production. Part of
the business would be selling these set-top-box-type deals to people
who want to record their music, and the other part would be in developing
the correct software to support these needs. I have no idea if there
even is any audio editing software for Linux (this would be a question
for slashdot). We would need something simple, something which could
record and mix several tracks and apply a number of simple effects (reverb,
chorus, etc.).
In the beginning, we would work only for portable computers. Because
you don't always want to leave your recording device in the garage where
you keep your instruments. And you have to upload the music content
onto the internet somehow too, which requires moving the machine. The
company could offer this service as well, which then goes into free
internet broadcasting stations, music sharing programs, and other things.
It's a paradigm shift from making money from the digital data of music
and software, to making money from recording and performing. The concepts
of music and intellectual property has been changing for years, and no
amount of litigation is going to hold back the tide.
In time, the company would grow to include other open source projects,
and we would open our own studio to promote our products, business
model, and name. Its possible that this idea may bring together all
the things I love, that is music, open-source software, and a mobile
workplace. Since our developers would be located all over the world,
it wouldn't matter if one was working in Budapest, or Tokyo or NYC.
So that's the pitch. For about as much as you just spent on your
guitar, you could buy a linux-supported laptop and figure out how
to put some good audio software on it. Our business wouldn't start
with from scratch, but we would use the massive amount of software
which is already out there. We wouldn't claim it as our own, but rather
add to the development effort, because it would be in our best interests.
Within a year, I think we could be making a profit.
