Hi. How to earn money Open Source Development? Open source has a lot advantages like: - Popularity. - Rapid evolution. - People colaboration. - Open source products could be better than their comercial propietary countparts. (Linux Vs Windows, PHP vs ASP, Firefox Mozilla vs Explorer, Google vs Yahoo). - Multi-plattform. - Contribution of many developers around the world. - etc. etc. etc. But it could becomes a bussiness suicide for the authors!!! So if the technology market tends to be open, and free..... Where is the money?

Quote: Original post by leoptimus
Google vs Yahoo

?

Quote: Multi-plattform.

There's nothing stopping closed-source products from being multi-platform, and many are. There's also a huge number of open-sourced projects that have not been ported to multiple platforms.

Quote: So if the technology market tends to be open, and free...

Does it?

Quote: Where is the money?

Support services.

Quote: Original post by leoptimus
- Popularity.

Closed-source is often just as popular.

Quote: - Rapid evolution.

It's very rare that open source projects evolve faster.

Quote: - People colaboration.

How is this an advantage?

Quote: - Open source products could be better than their comercial propietary countparts. (Linux Vs Windows, PHP vs ASP, Firefox Mozilla vs Explorer, Google vs Yahoo).

And closed source products could be better than their open source counterparts, so this isn't an advantage.

Quote: - Contribution of many developers around the world.

How is this an advantage?

Quote: Original post by Kazgoroth

Quote: Original post by leoptimus
Google vs Yahoo

?

I was thinking the same thing :P

If Google actually went open source, well, it would have a lot more competition

I've forgot include this material:

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1836.asp

Well, I'm not so good putting reasons ( Google Vs Yahoo ? :D) but Open Source Grows and evolutes faster!! That's the fact Jack! And it easly can be at the leading edge of technology: because you don't have to pay a large budget for getting the lastest features; simply ask to all enthusiastic developers to join to your open source project.

Open source is communism. If you support open source, your a communist whether you realize it or not.

He he!!
I'm not communist, but I'm getting really scared with open source communism.

For a serius example, think about Virtools and Blender(Game Blender). Those products are far different, but offers the same services (A game making IDE ).
And for every body is very evident that Game Blender will surpass to Virtools in benefits and usability:
- Has a modeling tool (Virtools not)
- Free.(Virtools are near to $8k)
- Open Source.
- Shaders.

Then, very soon, game makers will chosse Game Blender over any commercial product.

Quote: Original post by leoptimus
Open Source Grows and evolutes faster!! That's the fact Jack!

Fact? Why do you think so? I can see you're saying so, but do you have any real-world examples?

Quote: And it easly can be at the leading edge of technology:

It can easily be, and most of the leading edge technology is often open source, because they are research projects.

Quote: because you don't have to pay a large budget for getting the lastest features; simply ask to all enthusiastic developers to join to your open source project.

Take a look at the help wanted forum to look how real that is. People won't just join, also most people can only work a short amount of time on open source projects because they have jobs. Also this wouldn't be the reason for them to having leading edge technology, most technology could easily be implemented by a single developer.

Quote: Original post by leoptimus
For a serius example, think about Virtools and Blender(Game Blender).

How about comparing Blender to one of the "real" modelling packages? Like XSI, 3D Studio Max or Maya. I could easily pick an open source modeller which is much worse than Virtools and Blender.

Quote: - Has a modeling tool (Virtools not)

If you are going to compare modelling then you should really compare Blender to another modelling tool.

Quote: - Free.(Virtools are near to $8k)

Which also means you'll get no support.

Quote: - Open Source.

Is this really an advantage? I need a modelling tool, not some source I can play with.

Quote: - Shaders.

This doesn't make it better, it just have a single additional feature, which may or may not be useful.

Quote: Then, very soon, game makers will chosse Game Blender over any commercial product.

The reason the haven't all ready is that Blender isn't as good as other commercial tools.

About money on open source games , it seems that you will find it on support and additional services like:
- Tournaments.
- Education.
- Adversiting.
- Security services for keeping personal information confidentially (I've just thought that).

More ideas?

A guy told me that in the near future you will find money on technology services. Not in technology goods.

Also, think about that every digital media are copiable. (At this time the music industry can't stop piracy)