OK, I'm not Fraggle.
Nor do I have deep pockets.
But I am assembling systems.
I will pay for OS keys.
And we can start bounties for valid proposals.

We need software.
And I'm sure there are people interested in developing code to run under MorphOS.

So, here is the deal.
Free hardware and OS software AND a potential financial reward.

We're ready in the US.

Anyone interested?

I also am willing to support new MorphOS developers with free MorphOS3.x compatible systems and registration keyfiles that I will pay for. The only prerequisite is a history of completed programming projects for any platform, and a promise that the system loaned to these new MorphOS programmers will be returned, or passed on to another new MorphOS programmer, if the programmer who receives it no longer wishes to continue writing MorphOS software.

Jim, I suggest you think about making the same two requirements for anyone you give your MorphOS systems to.

OK guys,
The system being sent out to Eric for Libre Office development is ready to go except that I am upgrading the video card to a Radeon 9800XT (ordered a couple days ago, should be here by Thursday).
Apparently we need to collect some funds so that a key can be provided for Claus' mac Mini (to speed up Cinnamon Writer development).
And I have one more MDD which I am setting up so that I can support another developer.

So...as I have asked before, anyone got any good ideas?

Just an idea: how about "buy-out-ware"?

People develop software and release a version that stops after a certain amount of time (like MOS), is unable to save or lack som features etc and only after a certain amount is collected the program in question will be released without any future fees. This might be an idea for a small market where ordinary commercial ways of doing things isn't profitable (users with low amount of software are usually prepared to pay more). And it would safe guard the developer against piracy. And users would only have to pay for things that is already done (instead paying for a bounty and hope it will fulfill ones wishes).

Just my 2 cents.

I'm certainly willing to pay more, but there are limits.
A good example of this is MorphOS itself.
$110 versus the $50 I paid for Win7 and $25 I paid for OSX Snow Leopard.
AND worth every penny.
Imagine being able to buy Windows once again get free upgrades there after.

Great stuff.

BTW - Yasu, i'll consider any form of promotion.
But I was thinking more of ideas for software (not marketing ideas).

And, so far, the bounty system is working.
Better in most ways then the conventional commercial approach.

So...any new ideas for bounty proposals or hardware donations.
I enjoy putting the hardware together and installing the software.

Plus out of the three Power mac I've bought, two were labeled as-is only to have simple problems (one needed its processor card reseated, the other just needed an OS re-install).
Don't mac users ever open their hardware just play around with it?


[ Edited by Jim 07.05.2013 - 23:20 ]

> "buy-out-ware"

Why invent a new term for an old concept?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crippleware#Computer_software

;-)

Except for a proper word processor I would kill for a good Photoshop like program.

@Andread_Wolf

Kinda think that term is misleading :)

Yasu,
Quote:

Yeah, looks like we will have word processors covered.
And I like the Photoshop idea.
I'd love to be able to re-touch and manipulate photos and other graphics.
Going one step further I'd like to be able to do the same with video clips.

These kind of packages interest me more then the other packages in Libre Office (outside the word processor).

My goal is to be able to do the same thing on an Amiga system as on my Windows system. And my demands are not all too great. A good web browser (OWB does a nice job), a word processor (Libre?), a Photoshop like program (does one exist at all?) and maybe a couple of good games. I think once the basic needs are fulfilled and you don't need to turn on your PC for your every day needs people will start to look for ways to go beyond what already can be done (=porting, programming oneself or fund bounties). But first you need a reason not to use your PC instead.

I haven't used my PC for 3 days until now. And that's because internet stopped working on my Mac Mini for some reason. I wasn't able to do that on AROS :)

Yasu,
Quote:

Happened to my PC once
I used MorphOS for three months and didn't feel compelled to fix the PC (and Goggle Docs did a good job of Word Processing).

[ Edited by Jim 08.05.2013 - 00:08 ]

@Yasu

IMHO Crippleware is not a good idea in our market because developers often loss motivation or simply dissapear. I prefer bounties. An accelerated Cairo bounty would be quite interesting, perhaps we should ask Bigfoot, Kiero or Frank Mariak after MorphOS 3.3 is released

Bounties are good for it's end: that is, paying people to make programs people demand. Bounties are not as well suited for personal initiatives where one wants to make some money out of his/her work.

I'm not really talking about big productions here. Out market is way too small for that (consider that even the relatively big Linux market is considered too small for medium sized and big companies to release products for it). I'm talking about smaller stuff that is useful but doesn't take the equal amount as a full time job to complete.
Releasing things as shareware has it's downsides too. Since people only pay for their personal product the profit might become very small indeed.

Let's say someone make a small utility that is really useful. About 50 people thinks it's great and wants to contribute for it's release. They chip in, and pay in average more than they would pay for a typical commercial application because they know this will gain the comminity at large. The program is released as freeware or something, the programmer get's his/her fair share for his/hers work and the comminity get one more program to use.

I'm not saying that Buy-out-ware/crippleware is the be-all-end-all of MorphOS commercial enterprises, but I think it could be a nice alternative in some cases.

Moreover, I prefer bounties for opensource software because later there are chances of improvement/bugfixing. Even if no many coders take over at least that possibility exists, otherwise it's abandoned and no sources means no bugfixes and no new versions.

True, but I'm not refering to open source projects at all but close source ones. Both commercial enterprices and more hobbyist ones where the creator simply want to be in control over his/her creation.

Yasu,
Quote:

Same for me. Sad pixel32 port was aborted. It is the perfect solution to have a photoshop clone.
pixel

That really looks promising? Any way of continue the work through a bounty?

[ Edited by Yasu 08.05.2013 - 17:21 ]

That does look neat.
The screenshot may only represent what they wanted it to look like in the end, but their goal looks promising.
Any idea why it was dropped?

It's essentially vaporware: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel32#Controversy

Can I propose finishing b.o.c.h.s. 2.6?
It does not support emulating a network card.
xp in a window is great if you support networking, then I can vpn to work if need be.

Checked out the boch 2.6 website.
Some versions do support networking.
I'm trying to figure out why the MorphOS port did not.

Too bad. Any other program like that that will do? GIMP is the only one that comes to mind, but I'm also hardly an expert.

Vapor or not, for me the main issue with Pixel32 was it's 100% retarded user-interface. Some SDL based crap even less useable than stuff running through an X11-server.


Good thing there was a free demo version saving me from wasting any money on it

Some we have a good X86 emulator and a crap drawing program (and no other suggestions on graphic or video editors).

Hey at least we are talking.

BOCH 2.6 may not be as much of a challenge.
I can not find a really good open drawing program.

I think GIMP is pretty usable, especially with the new single window UI. It could be ported if someone implements all the missing features of the GTK-MUI wrapper.