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How To Make Money With Free Software

Posted by kdawson on from the coin-of-the-realm dept.

bmsleight writes "The Dutch Ministry of Finance organized an architecture competition to design not a building, but rather the new 5-Euro commemorative coin. The theme was 'Netherlands and Architecture'. The winning design was made 100% with free software, mainly Python, but also including The Gimp, Inkscape, Phatch, and Ubuntu. The design is amazing — the head of Queen Beatrix is made up of the names of architects based on their popularity in Yahoo searches (rendered in a font of the artist's own devising). In the end the artist, Stani Michiels, had to collaborate closely on location with technicians of the Royal Dutch Mint, so all the last bits were done on his Asus Eee PC. Soon, 350,000 Dutch people will use and enjoy the fruits of free software."

46 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Again? by owlnation · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This article was on here a couple of days ago. DUPE!

    1. Re:Again? by Lectoid · · Score: 3, Informative

      Yep. http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/30/2138259

      --
      Is it just me, or do you hate it when people say "Is it just me..."?
    2. Re:Again? by BrotherBeal · · Score: 5, Funny

      Does it make more sense to call it a dupe or a counterfeit?

      --
      I'm disabling ads until because I choose not to reward redesigns that are less usable than "view source".
    3. Re:Again? by vlm · · Score: 2, Funny

      This article was on here a couple of days ago. DUPE!

      Given the subject of the article, "counterfeit" would be a more appropriate term.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    4. Re:Again? by dotancohen · · Score: 1

      Does it make more sense to call it a dupe or a counterfeit?

      It's neither. Look at this beauty of a URL:
      http://en.knm.nl/domains/knm/pagesarticle.asp?content=11720000000909_999_11650000000011navid=11650000000014_11720000000067&cookie=init

      Duping that is like cloning DNA.

      --
      It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
    5. Re:Again? by Rogerborg · · Score: 1

      OK, seriously now. Seriously. Why is kdawson still "working" here?

      He does this over and over again. He needs a special section: "Dupes, shills and scams". The guy clearly doesn't even read the site that he "edits". That would be like me submitting patches without ever checking out the code that I'm modifying.

      --
      If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    6. Re:Again? by SQLGuru · · Score: 1

      ....should we expect all the rest of the stories from the past few days to be posted again today as well?

      You must be new here......the answer is yes....but not because it was the weekend, but because dupes are a regular event.

      Layne

    7. Re:Again? by GXTi · · Score: 1

      The titular pun was just that fun.

  2. Duuuupe by Max+Romantschuk · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wasn't this posted a few days ago? Ensue the copy-pasting of witty comments...

    --
    .: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/
    1. Re:Duuuupe by sakdoctor · · Score: 4, Funny

      This witty comment is being released under a creative commons licence.

      You are free to copy-paste it into a dupe.
      By Attribution. Share alike.

    2. Re:Duuuupe by JustOK · · Score: 3, Funny

      Get a new and improved witty comment for only $5.00 per month. Market research has shown it to load faster in all kinds of weather and it doesn't harm the children. 200% of proceeds go to support our troops and fight terrorism.

      --
      rewriting history since 2109
    3. Re:Duuuupe by WK2 · · Score: 1

      This witty comment is being released under a creative commons licence.

      You are free to copy-paste it into a dupe.
      By Attribution. Share alike.

      This comment is copyright sakdoctor.

      --
      Write your own Choose Your Own Adventure. http://www.freegameengines.org/gamebook-engine/
    4. Re:Duuuupe by dotancohen · · Score: 1

      Wasn't this posted a few days ago? Ensue the copy-pasting of witty comments....

      --
      It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
  3. I thought you could only win once? by AcquaCow · · Score: 2, Funny

    Obviously he's time traveling and winning again!

      -- Dave

    --

    up 12 days, 22:30, 2 users, load averages: 993.20, 994.21, 994.56
    *makes note to limit user processes...
  4. How to really make money with free software... by Xest · · Score: 2, Interesting

    1. Create article about designing coin and winning contest

    2. Post same article to Slashdot including link to website with story MULTIPLE TIMES

    4. Farm ad revenue

    3. Profit

    1. Re:How to really make money with free software... by Looce · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure the profit comes after farming the ad revenue.

      Therefore,

      1. Create article designing coin and winning contest
      2. Post article to Slashdot including link to website with story
      2. Post article to Slashdot including link to website with story
      3. Farm ad revenue
      4. Profit

      Fixed :) Gotta love copy-paste.

    2. Re:How to really make money with free software... by jonaskoelker · · Score: 1

      6. ???
      5. Learn to count
      7. If your OCD tells you to end at 3, start at 0 :p

    3. Re:How to really make money with free software... by Xest · · Score: 1

      Yes I noticed that after I'd posted, apparently I can't count past 2.

      I could suggest it was the excitement of actually finding a relevant use for a Slashdot meme but it is however Monday, so I'm pulling out that card as my excuse instead!

    4. Re:How to really make money with free software... by Looce · · Score: 1

      You're not alone. Apparently I forgot that copy-paste is a good way to copy text you're about to quote, not just to repeat an item more than once... (I missed "about" in point 1.)

      Them computers, they're evil! Back in my day, you had to rewrite everything you wanted to duplicate, by hand, there was none of that copy-paste stuff!

    5. Re:How to really make money with free software... by harry666t · · Score: 1

      666. Cthulhu.

  5. Making Free Forgery Money by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

    Wow, all I need to make unlimited money, 5 euros at a time, is that list of free software (and maybe the specific PC model). I should be able to fake up those coins precisely, especially after I scan one pulled from circulation. And since the coin is so new, and doesn't look like the familiar eurocoins, most of the 500 million Europeans who use euros will be easy targets for passing my fakes.

    Never before has "making money with free software" looked so easy and lucrative!

    --

    --
    make install -not war

    1. Re:Making Free Forgery Money by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

      I'm sure that if I produce over 10,000 of those coins, the machine and materials will cost less than E50,000.

      And I'm also sure that I can find someone somewhere with a coin minting machine who won't ask any questions in exchange for a few dozen thousand euros. There are machines at low-budget carnivals that stamp blanks for souveniers which could probably pass for E5 long enough to get away with it, especially in hanfuls of other euros.

      --

      --
      make install -not war

  6. Looks like ACORN struck here too. by electrictroy · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's bad enough for have the same voters registering two or three times...... now we have the same articles being posted twice or thrice. Looks like ACORN has been busier than I thought.

    --
    The government is not your daddy. Its purpose is not to raid middle-class neighbors' wallets and give it to you.
  7. So will the coins be open source? by itsdapead · · Score: 5, Funny

    If only the GPL worked the way the anti-GPL schills think it does and "infected" all your output...

    Then we'd all have the right to copy and distribute 5 Euro coins. Woohoo!

    --
    In a survey of 100 programmers, 111111 thought that duck-typing was a good idea.
    1. Re:So will the coins be open source? by chord.wav · · Score: 1

      As most of the money is virtual (stored bits) these days, having at least one Linux storing money, could make them share the code of their "money server" so you can run a copy of it, storing your own money in your house in an OpenID-like way.

      Why would you store your money on somebody else's computer when you can do a better job protecting it in your own system? ;)

    2. Re:So will the coins be open source? by mweather · · Score: 2, Funny

      Why would you store your money on somebody else's computer when you can do a better job protecting it in your own system? ;)

      Because the FDIC won't replace my money if I spill beer on my server.

  8. Other ways to make money? by AdmiralXyz · · Score: 1

    Hell, I know how to make money even without free software:

    1. Post an article about nothing in particular with a misleading title that will attract thousands of Slashdotters.
    2. Post the EXACT SAME ARTICLE with the EXACT SAME HEADLINE three days later.
    3. Ad revenue -> Profit!

    --
    Dislike the Electoral College? Lobby your state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
  9. wow by dr00min · · Score: 1

    dont care that its free but wow, beautiful. i think free, and paid for, are two very diferent things. most of the people i know have never bought software before. its all free online!

  10. The most important question wasn't answered by yttrstein · · Score: 1

    What was the artist's commission on that design? Everyone already knows that open source is good for the "environment". But how good is it for an individual?

  11. Re:Dutch are stingy by Rashdot · · Score: 1

    Thank you for sharing your basement world view.

    --
    This is not the sig you're looking for.
  12. could he do it in emacs? by wikinerd · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dupe. Wake me up when someone renders a coin in emacs, that would have infinite hack value.

    1. Re:could he do it in emacs? by dotancohen · · Score: 1

      Dupe. Wake me up when someone renders a coin in emacs, that would have infinite hack value.

      Heads: RMS
      Tails: RIAA

      --
      It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
  13. Official Link by Eddy+Luten · · Score: 1

    Here's the link to the official announcement at the Royal Dutch Mint. It's funny to see how a Belgian wins a Dutch contest.

    1. Re:Official Link by BrentH · · Score: 1

      Belgians are Dutch, they just think they're not.

  14. It's easy! Just ask SCO! by Cyberax · · Score: 1

    Well, it worked for them?

  15. The Designer's fruit, not his tools by gsslay · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Soon, 350,000 Dutch people will use and enjoy the fruits of free software.

    Any value in the design is put there by the designer. No software, free or otherwise, will design a coin for you. Well, that is until Microsoft produces a Word template for it. And then they'll all be crap and overused.

  16. Re:Oh yes, it's amazing all right. by jank1887 · · Score: 1

    it's like ASCIIArt++. Look, curves! I would have at least hoped for an Ascii pedo-bear to get submitted.

  17. Dupes are good by mebrahim · · Score: 1

    Dupes are good for at least one thing: Tons of posts modded as Funny.

    --
    Persian Project Management Software as a Service
  18. Re:Dutch are stingy by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    You're only jealous because it's above sea level.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  19. What the hell by Swordopolis · · Score: 1

    That's the ugliest coin I have ever seen.

    --
    Alchemist: Be Thou For the People
    1. Re:What the hell by Eternauta3k · · Score: 1

      I agree, it's like if they made a fractal building. Sure, it's cool and original, but give the designer an award and use something less extravagant.

      --
      Yeah. Would you choose a neurosurgeon who pokes around people's brains in his spare time? I wouldn't.
    2. Re:What the hell by eth0-event · · Score: 1

      Its not meant to be used, and I'm pretty sure 95% of Dutch people will never get their hands on one as its a commemorative coin. Just because its legal to pay with these, doesn't mean they'll get used for paying.

  20. Re:Dutch are stingy by Rashdot · · Score: 1

    How can you be sure, if you never get out?

    --
    This is not the sig you're looking for.
  21. There are dupes and there are dupes by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

    The dupes are the ones reading the dupe.

    Or responding to it, like this one.

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  22. Re:Dutch are stingy by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    Well it isn't full of water.

    P.S. Where's your bike?

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  23. Re:Dutch are stingy by Bloke+down+the+pub · · Score: 1

    That's incorrect. I've met several who could speak perfectly good English.

    Dutchmen, that is.

    --
    It's true I tell you, feller at work's next door neighbour read it in the paper.