Make money out of OpenSource?

[GNCB]

Hello, i am a "lone programmer", i did programming as hobby years before, but i stopped and want to re-take it again but as a way to make money , i am constantly improving and learning many things.

hmph, as i say i want to make money, and don't like to give free things, so.
i am developing an "API", that i want to use for most of my projects that i am gonna sell.
but, it's not sensible to sell the API along with the product, so i need to provide the API elsewhere, and say that the product need's it to work "well".

but i don't want other people to use the API for commercial purposes , except me.

So i am considering:
1. Making it open source but putting advertisement on the API (I think it may make my sales go up a bit)
2. Licensing it so they have to buy it for use (not that they will buy it), while "providing" it for free with my product (this if more of a professional gimmick, albeit i don't think i will make money and instead get robbed like this.)

 

[Airee]

You can sell opensource plugins. Just have a license that only allows you to sell it.

 

[GNCB]

You can sell opensource plugins. Just have a license that only allows you to sell it.

i known, there was something about dual licensing, GPL for personal usage, and another license for commercial usage.

i kinda forgot for a bit when making this thread .
but i would like to be more open.
i.e allow people to use the license in their "free" products, but making them pay if it's commercial .

 

[HatefulMoron]

i.e allow people to use the license in their "free" products, but making them pay if it's commercial

I assume that OP is talking about Free Software (GPL, LPGL, AGPL etc), not just 'open source' (a la Unreal Engine). Take a read of the GNU's view on this subject, https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.en.html.

Generally speaking, the classic method of commercializing Free Software is to offer paid support for your product. This means that your clients have your ear for direct improvements and your commitment to ongoing support for your software.

 

[GNCB]

I assume that OP is talking about Free Software (GPL, LPGL, AGPL etc), not just 'open source' (a la Unreal Engine). Take a read of the GNU's view on this subject, https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.en.html.

Generally speaking, the classic method of commercializing Free Software is to offer paid support for your product. This means that your clients have your ear for direct improvements and your commitment to ongoing support for your software.

that's too much of a hassle, it's easier to go with a lawyer and get the money like a thug, that's the kind of person that i wanna be .

 

[HatefulMoron]

that's too much of a hassle, it's easier to go with a lawyer and get the money like a thug, that's the kind of person that i wanna be .

Frankly, you don't have the money. Sueing someone (whether you're right or wrong, even if it's clear in the license) is expensive.

Bukkit is licensed under the GPL, yet people still sell closed sourced plugins and modifications without disclosing their source code.

 

[GNCB]

Frankly, you don't have the money. Sueing someone (whether you're right or wrong, even if it's clear in the license) is expensive.

Bukkit is licensed under the GPL, yet people still sell closed sourced plugins and modifications without disclosing their source code.

i known, that's why i only have to paid a third-party around $50% and i get a free lawyer.

oh that, isn't like they are encapsuling bukkit in their plugins, they are only using them that's mostly legal, even thought some people say the contrary to scare people.

 

[HatefulMoron]

i known, that's why i only have to paid a third-party around $50% and i get a free lawyer.

oh that, isn't like they are encapsuling bukkit in their plugins, they are only using them that's mostly legal, even thought some people say the contrary to scare people.

Using/linking to GPL code without disclosing the source code is an infringement of the license, it's not a scare tactic. Doing so makes you liable for copyright infringement, whether the authors will do anything is another question.