Donationware - does it work?
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
sk8er_boy287 wrote:
Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money
It's user friendly b/c it means lots of people don't have to pay. If you can create a project that a ton of people use, you may make a bit of money. If it's a niche product, you may well not get any donations at all. If you're happy to be paid less, or not at all, to be user friendly, then go for it. I can't imagine anyone donating more than $10. Making it open ended and essentially free, devalues your app. People are paying to salve their conscience and you're letting them set the price.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
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sk8er_boy287 wrote:
Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money
It's user friendly b/c it means lots of people don't have to pay. If you can create a project that a ton of people use, you may make a bit of money. If it's a niche product, you may well not get any donations at all. If you're happy to be paid less, or not at all, to be user friendly, then go for it. I can't imagine anyone donating more than $10. Making it open ended and essentially free, devalues your app. People are paying to salve their conscience and you're letting them set the price.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
It doesn't work, see ndoc, see ghostdoc, don't expect anything above maybe $100 a year. If you're serious about it, just go the extra mile and build a decent web site for it with a 'buy now' button. Not the most fun part, but at least it's a good exercise to see what it takes to be a micro ISV (and these days it's not really hard to pull it off compared to a decade ago).
Wout
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
I refer you to Radiohead's album, In Rainbows.
Wikipedia:
In early October 2007, a spokesman for the band reported that "most people [paid] a normal retail price with very few trying to buy [the download version] for a penny" and that most fans had preordered the discbox. Citing a source close to the band, Gigwise.com reported that by the day of its online release, the album had sold 1.2 million copies. The claim, however, has been dismissed by band manager Bryce Edge as "exaggerated". According to an Internet survey conducted by Record of the Day of 3,000 people, about one-third of people who downloaded the album paid nothing, with the average price paid being £4.
My Bookmarks I clicked the link. In an instant I was transported 15 years back in time.
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I refer you to Radiohead's album, In Rainbows.
Wikipedia:
In early October 2007, a spokesman for the band reported that "most people [paid] a normal retail price with very few trying to buy [the download version] for a penny" and that most fans had preordered the discbox. Citing a source close to the band, Gigwise.com reported that by the day of its online release, the album had sold 1.2 million copies. The claim, however, has been dismissed by band manager Bryce Edge as "exaggerated". According to an Internet survey conducted by Record of the Day of 3,000 people, about one-third of people who downloaded the album paid nothing, with the average price paid being £4.
My Bookmarks I clicked the link. In an instant I was transported 15 years back in time.
OTOH I know a number of people who only DLed it because it was free and had never listened to/didn't really care for the band. To the OP I'd suggest instead of pure donationeare shareware with a non intrusive nag (eg a splash screen) to wear away at peoples consciences, possibly combined with a free only for personal use license clause.
Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
I tried that route many years ago, when the information overload had not yet come and people still enjoyed software on their computer ;) While I do not remember the actual funds made at this time, it was under $200 for a series of utilty programs which weere quite useful in that day. They only time I made money from software directly sold to individuals was when I was able to lock the software and verify they were the owners every time they used it. That was a good source of revenue for about two years until the functionality was no longer needed. People do not typically want to pay for software they have for free and when they do they expect more out of the company than the software was ever worth in the first place. Kind of like people, when all the all benefits of marriage are enjoyed prior to marriage, what is the sense of bothering with marriage…. Um… Why by the cow if the milk is free (besides steak, ribs, stew..)..
Rocky <>< Recent Blog Post: Doughboy – R.I.P. Thinking about Silverlight? www.SilverlightCity.com
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
It appears to work quite well for Rick Brewster, but then, Paint.NET is really popular. It's working pretty well for the Wikipedia guys as well but they probably have more costs and it may not really count since its a website.. it sort of proves that donations do happen though
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
Nope, at least it didn't work for me and I had a very popular app that was downloaded zillions of times and I got exactly zero donations. Either give it away or charge for it, there is no middle ground.
"It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it." -Sam Levenson
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
For months I used the free version of the QSOFT ramdisk. It worked so well that I finally "donated" and got the "Enterprise" version for about $25. As I remember I made a PayPal donation and then got the program in the Email as a special 7-zip file designed to avoid attachment-blockers. From the software-vendor-viewpoint, I am guessing that phrasing the payment as a "donation" would possibly avoid legal troubles. Not that QSOFT is an ultra-small-business anymore, I remember seeing his "corporate" page with roughly a 10x10 array of corporate logos.
pg--az
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
Slightly OT, but as a comparison: I now run a blog for about a year and have a PayPal Donate Now-button for people that benefit from it's articles. This raised me exactly....(wait a minute, where's my calculator): $2,00! On the other hand, the Google ads on the blog raise about $60,-/month. So maybe you go the old Eudora way and incorporate ads in your app? Which of course can be removed by the user by sending a small donation... Peter.
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It doesn't work, see ndoc, see ghostdoc, don't expect anything above maybe $100 a year. If you're serious about it, just go the extra mile and build a decent web site for it with a 'buy now' button. Not the most fun part, but at least it's a good exercise to see what it takes to be a micro ISV (and these days it's not really hard to pull it off compared to a decade ago).
Wout
wout de zeeuw wrote:
It doesn't work, see ndoc, see ghostdoc, don't expect anything above maybe $100 a year.
Agreed, and I also confirm the figure.
If you truly believe you need to pick a mobile phone that "says something" about your personality, don't bother. You don't have a personality. A mental illness, maybe - but not a personality. - Charlie Brooker My Photos/CP Flickr Group - ScrewTurn Wiki
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Slightly OT, but as a comparison: I now run a blog for about a year and have a PayPal Donate Now-button for people that benefit from it's articles. This raised me exactly....(wait a minute, where's my calculator): $2,00! On the other hand, the Google ads on the blog raise about $60,-/month. So maybe you go the old Eudora way and incorporate ads in your app? Which of course can be removed by the user by sending a small donation... Peter.
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
Donationware only works for pseudo-charities like Wikipedia, where people donate out of a sense of civic duty. If Wikipedia was for profit with a fat cat raking in the cash then I don't reckon it would get a tenth of the donations. Donationware is the least confrontational business model - perhaps that is being confused with user friendly. But it is not a model that can ever be profitable. It can, say, support its running costs if done exceptionally well. But the moment the user base sniffs out 'profits' they will stop donating. If you can engage a community and make something exceptionally popular then you can make a career out of it - but not a profit. For profits you need a nag screen on a free version, or a free cut-down version that encourages payment for the nag-free/non-cut-down version.
"If you reward everyone, there will not be enough to go around, so you offer a reward to one in order to encourage everyone." Mei Yaochen in the 'Doing Battle' section of Sun Tzu's: Art of War. .
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Donationware only works for pseudo-charities like Wikipedia, where people donate out of a sense of civic duty. If Wikipedia was for profit with a fat cat raking in the cash then I don't reckon it would get a tenth of the donations. Donationware is the least confrontational business model - perhaps that is being confused with user friendly. But it is not a model that can ever be profitable. It can, say, support its running costs if done exceptionally well. But the moment the user base sniffs out 'profits' they will stop donating. If you can engage a community and make something exceptionally popular then you can make a career out of it - but not a profit. For profits you need a nag screen on a free version, or a free cut-down version that encourages payment for the nag-free/non-cut-down version.
"If you reward everyone, there will not be enough to go around, so you offer a reward to one in order to encourage everyone." Mei Yaochen in the 'Doing Battle' section of Sun Tzu's: Art of War. .
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Again, I must say I'm not really into the money. I just need a kind of reason good enough to start doing something. Money is not a good reason to do that. If anything, money will only make me even more lazy. :)
Then why did you ask how much you'd make? Why not just make it freeware, or postcard-ware, or charity donation-ware? It sounds as though you want to build something useful but want to know that people like it, so maybe you could just build a one-off nag into the app that fires after the tenth launch and asks the user to send you a thank-you email.
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Then why did you ask how much you'd make? Why not just make it freeware, or postcard-ware, or charity donation-ware? It sounds as though you want to build something useful but want to know that people like it, so maybe you could just build a one-off nag into the app that fires after the tenth launch and asks the user to send you a thank-you email.
I was just curious. And why do you assume I'm not happy with making $100/year off a project? That's motivation enough for me. As I said before, I'd be making these projects mostly for myself, but if other people can benefit from them and would consider donating even $1, I'd just be happy knowing they liked the programs I wrote. So, "motivation" is the key word here, not "money". And I am pretty sure I mentioned in the post that I didn't want any other ideas. Oh, and it's bad habit (and really annoying) to answer a question with another question.
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Hi! Has anyone reading this ever tried writing software for donations? If yes, then is it profitable? For me, it would be a kick in the back to really start doing something that's useful (mostly for me) knowing that I'll get some money out of it. I'm just that lazy. Oh, and if donationware does work, would that be in my lifetime or do the donations start flowing in after I'm dead? :) What's the most/least/average time anyone's ever waited for donations to come in on a project? Do not post any ideas not related to donationware. IMO donationware is the most user-friendly way of making money. :D So, just how generous would users be? How much would someone (replace with any "anyone" or "everyone" if this doesn't sound right - English really has to cut these down a notch or two) consider donating for a simple media player or a messenger application for example?
sk8er, Donations can work. The question is what do you consider profitable? I follow the basic idea that others have said here with my website and my software. I offer free, slimmed down versions of my software for free with a free membership to my website. If they like the software they can make a donation and have access to not just that one but all of my software. I also started a new program to donate a portion of my donations to the homeless. So there is much value for my members to donate. And they have been very generous. in the last 2 months i have generated about $147.00 from a handful of members. The internet is so full of free software that it is difficult to get people to pay for something unless they really feel they can't get what you offer somewhere else for free. I have more of a personal relationship with my members also. Many are new developers and i help them with their projects. Many donate about $15 or $20. Some donate $5 or $7. Just depends. One in particular has donated $70 total through two different donations. For me, when i got my first donation i considered my efforts to be a success. I really never expected to make anything. The previous year my advertising made under $3 for the entire year so the first donation ($20) was a tremendous boost. I don't really do all this for the money. I plan on giving much of it to the homeless program i am involved with. But as you said, the donations show appreciation. Why do what we do if it does not serve a purpose. The main goal of the website is easy access to what i have and is a good tool to help my charity program. I create software for business, so my commercial clients are where i make my money. I will probably give a portion of my commercial business revenue to the homeless program as well. Hope it works out for you. If you would like to check out my website and see what i do, it might help you give you some ideas. www.srsoft.us
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I was just curious. And why do you assume I'm not happy with making $100/year off a project? That's motivation enough for me. As I said before, I'd be making these projects mostly for myself, but if other people can benefit from them and would consider donating even $1, I'd just be happy knowing they liked the programs I wrote. So, "motivation" is the key word here, not "money". And I am pretty sure I mentioned in the post that I didn't want any other ideas. Oh, and it's bad habit (and really annoying) to answer a question with another question.
sk8er_boy287 wrote:
Oh, and it's bad habit (and really annoying) to answer a question with another question.
My question wasn't an answer to your original post, it was a response to your response. Apologies for offering suggestions when you specifically asked for none! I have consequently punched myself in the face twice - I know it won't alleviate the pain I've caused you but hopefully it's some relief to know that I'm suffering too.
Regards Nelviticus
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I'm not really looking to make money. Donation are not just about money. They also mean that work is being recognized and appreciated, as it should be.
If you're looking for appreciation, get a dog. :-D Low maintanence, high return (though they don't appreciate software so much).