Alright. I have this really cool piece of software. I know it is gonna be a hit, cuz I already tried it on my school, and they love it. My question is, what is the best way to release it to the world, and build my reputation? I mean, I am sure there are tons of ways to improve it, but I know that as soon as I make it public for free, MS or IBM will run out, and make a super good version of it? It is in C#, using .NET if that helps any?

Moved to the Business forum.

Release it as public domain or GPL or something similar. People like free things, so they'll be more likely to give it a try. If they like it, they might remember your name and be interested in your future products.

Quote: Original post by Fruny
Moved to the Business forum.

sorry. I forgot about that, since I have never been there before.

But as it is in .NET and C#, which the opensource community hates, that would be hard right mtw?

The open source community does not hate C# (well at least not all of it), and all things aside - a open source C# program is still better (as in popularity among the open source community) than a closed source one.

You could even make your software run on the open source implementation of the ECMA standard for the CLI and C#, mono, that's even better since they need good programs and yours would be among few.

Do you really believe in your project?
Think your project will make you money?

If this is true don't release it for free. Get some entrepreneurial spirit into you boy! Do some market research, take a look at similar companies and think out some marketing strategies.

Once you think you've got it all down and as good as it will ever be raise some capital and get it out into the market.

Should you want a hand with any of this PM me and i would be more than happy to help you out.

Um... I am a 15 yr old sophomore in highschool. So I don't exactly think i am allowed to create a company. I haven't really thought about it though. The reason I don't want to sell it is that as soon as I do, I have to compete with big companies. The problem is that it uses the Google API, which means that I am not suppose to use it in commercial programs. I am just a programmer with an idea.

Then don't compete against big companies. Just release it under GPL like others above said. Don't expect to understand the intricacies of the software industry nor how to run a company at 15! Get in the habit of releasing solid software, on time, with a usable UI and set of features, repeat and churn. The business side of thing will come to you naturally as you mature.

Hey, look! An anonymous poster snuck into the lounge via a cunning trojan trick.

Try put it on the internet, tell everyone on GameDev the url, and let us decide it it's any good.

Serious, we'll let you know. Just because a few high school kids like it doesn't mean the rest of the world will.

Also, keep in mind that if you thought of it, someone else in the world probably has to. You just have to make your version stand out, and that just comes with time.

[Edited by - Coaster Kev on October 15, 2004 5:45:42 PM]