Making Money Using Open Source Software?

GamblerZG asks: "As many of us probably know, convincing people to run Free Software can sometimes be a tedious task. However, there are a lot of factors that help us in that regard, and, perhaps, the biggest of them is a simple truth: Free Software is free. It's hard to argue with such statement. I know it, because I faced it today, trying to convince my fellow co-worker that it is possible to profit by writing GNU-licensed code. 'How company can make money, if its products are available for free?' That was a valid question indeed, and I could not find any simple answers to respond with. That makes me wonder, whether there are articles on the Internet, which explain and analyze how Open Source business models work? Do you know any ways to prove that such models can be profitable?" It can be done, you can check out a recent interview with an Open Source Entrepreneur on NewsForge for some hints. What other ideas and business plans do you think would be a good match for a business with an Open Source core?

Comments

I don't think it was a valid question:

[kjd88]

"How company can make money, if its products are available for free?'" 4th grade grammar anybody? :)

Re:I don't think it was a valid question:

[david.given]

The question about making money is referring to the present - the same point at which the products are hypothetically available for free. English isn't a language where every 'if' clause takes a subjunctive. This sentence isn't expressing doubt or disbelief; it's a condition posed as a question.

Hmm... is it? (The fact that were looks like the perfect form is a red herring.)

Postulate: The company releases its products for free.
Conclusion: The company could not make money.
Combined form (using subjunctive): If the company were to release its products for free, it could not make money.
Inverted form of the above: The company could not make money if it were to release its products for free.
Conditional form of the above: Can the company make money if it were to release its products for free?

Is that valid?

I think you could reform it without the subjunctive, but I don't have time to do it now... (honestly! That's not a copout!)

This is waaaay off-topic

[ArgieNomad]

I couldn't resist, after reading your sig...

Is that why you SHAVE?

Anonymous Coward