How can I publish / sell / promote an open source semi-industrial project?

Question

I have a framework for PHP that I have been developing for about 3 weeks, but it is quite ready for release ... if I do this. In this economy, I cannot just take what I have done and release it for free and just feel it (because I need the money that it can raise), and yet I am torn apart by my assessment of open source projects. I want to eat and I want to share it with open source. I am sure that some understand my riddle right off the bat.

As an example of the pros and cons of my project, here is a very quick comparison with CodeIgniter. My infrastructure is 10 times faster at base speed (an empty CI compared to my base demo) and faster 20-30 times faster. However, in my infrastructure there is not much that CI has advanced routing (with regular expression or with named parameters) and ORM. If I compared it with a similar structure in another language, I would call my work Sinatra, or Ramaze, PHP.

I need extra income. This is a flat fact, and yet I do not want it to be an exclusively commercial project.

I like open source and I want to contribute. Yes, I know that frameworks for PHP are dozens of dozens, but I think I might have something here. So, I do not want my work to stop completely.

So, I'm still torn. Licensing can help, but only when people are honest. I do not believe that I put "DRM" in my software. However, I do not have enough functions to say: "If you donate / pay, you will get X other functions!" and benefit from it.

How can I sell this? How can I promote it and release it as an open source for free use? How can I adequately license my work for these purposes?

What is your general policy or advice for such projects? Especially when you want to cut profits, someone will get a commercial project. What licenses, restrictions, etc., do you think will work in this model?

I appreciate any answers that can help me figure out what to do.

Edit:

To clarify what I think, let me add the following: this is my favorite project. This is what I did because I felt it was lacking in the PHP framework market and supported it for my own work. But, unlike most of my works, I would really like to make this publication. I want people to see it, try it, use it and work with it.

Nevertheless, I have invested enough time in non-working hours so that it is simply given away. I appreciate the open source model, but I don’t see how I can donate about 80 hours of work for free to speculatively increase my “reputation” in the software world. PHP frameworks are dozens of dozens, and I think I did a good one, but I'm sure there are as many others that have done the same. Mine may be better, but he has an equal or greater chance of being average for the poor.

I would like to publish my favorite project in the world under an open source license. But I would prefer that someone not take my work and make software that makes a profit of $ 30,000 and does not give me a small piece. I'm not greedy - I would not care if it were only $ 100 for a big profit.

I'm just trying to figure out how, when, or if I should, monetize the work that I did for myself.

Answer 1

I feel that if you really think you have started something big, release it into the open source world. If it is adopted and becomes the standard for many, this in itself will open up even more opportunities for you to profit as a creator / inventor. The biggest potential for you to make big money (in my opinion) should be a major player / founder of a big initiative.

Answer 2

To be completely frank, you probably have an overridden idea of ​​how good your structure is and how ready it is for release (in any form).

First, you said that it took you three weeks to develop. Well, if you can do it in three weeks, so many other people can be, and that's a fact.

Secondly, the release of a commercial product will require a license (rely on a lawyer for this), writing documentation, creating a website to promote the product, having some payment methods, getting a suitable legal structure for selling software, insurance (generally speaking, you need some kind of professional reimbursement - open source is usually provided without reimbursement, commercial software is different), accounting, accounting, etc.

Thirdly, this is PHP, so source code protection will be a problem. My advice would be to consider this as a social rather than a technical problem, that is, if someone is going to steal your software, you cannot do much. Moreover, do not be afraid (or even inconvenience) of your legitimate users for fear of pirates and thieves.

Finally, one of the benefits of open source is that you can get community efforts in development. You lose it as soon as you go on a business. Even if you go for a dual license, you cannot take someone from the GPLed code (for example) and release it under a commercial license.

You may need money, but selling software is usually a terrible way to do it. A longer-term view will be for you to create a profile and a name for yourself by the people hosting your framework, and the best way to do this is to open it up with open source code. Linux may be free, but I can guarantee that Linus Torvalds earns a healthy income from his efforts.

Answer 3

If the structure is really good and sees minimal acceptance after its release, you may be able to work out some PHP consulting work.

For me, the main problem with the new software is reliability - it may be the best software, but if no one uses it and if no reviews are found anywhere, I do not want to be a guinea pig. Making money with commercial software can be very difficult if you do not find customers at an early stage ...

Answer 4

The best way is to ask for donations. I would definitely donate if I liked your framework.

Answer 5

You can try the QT model: a double license for your framework with a free copyleft license (you will need to check which one is suitable) and a paid commercial license.

Answer 6

It is better to choose a dual license. Its a similer to MySQL.