Skin/Theme Engine...Free?

PolyVector · Post by **PolyVector** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 9:57 am

Hello everyone,
Some friends and I are starting up a software company called SkunkSoft. We're deep in development with a number of projects... One of our projects is a skin/theme engine dll for developers that's similar to ActiveSkin(discontinued) and SkinMagic(very slow)...

Our problem is that nobody has heard of us and we're going to need some good advertising/exposure... Now, I have absolutly no experience with this so I have a question for you all...

Would it be better for us to release this engine as being 100% free for freeware developers (to get our name out there?)
Or would it only encourage piracy if there is no trial/popup-message?

Any ideas you could offer would be a great help! Thanks!

tinman · Post by **tinman** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:10 am

You could also think about the sales model which MUI used?

PolyVector · Post by **PolyVector** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:31 am

Interesting... That's similar to what I had in mind... Only better

I'll look further into that method

PolyVector · Post by **PolyVector** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:00 am

Anyone else have a suggestion?

Karbon · Post by **Karbon** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:56 am

If the skin engine is good then releasing it to the several hundred developer oriented download sites will generate a lot of interest (don't release it until it is or you'll get a bad reputation!). I've found download.com to be *well* worth the $99 a month and some selective google adwords can be worth the money - especially for such a niche group of people.

Join the ASP (www.asp-shareware.org) as well and offer members a discount - virtually every member is a developer.

I would not release it as freeware if you plan on charging for use in the future. Price it low and offer upgrades for free to users that register during the initial roll out - then move the price up and upgrade features down as it gains popularity.

Good luck!

PolyVector · Post by **PolyVector** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:22 am

@Karbon, I wasn't planning on releasing it 'free at first'... I was thinking more along the lines of 'free for freeware developers'
The way I see it, a freeware developer isn't going to pay for a skin engine anyways, so why not let them advertise for me

But if you think that's a bad idea, you're more-or-less an athority on the subject... so I'll reconsider...

Thanks

Karbon · Post by **Karbon** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 3:56 am

PolyVector wrote:But if you think that's a bad idea, you're more-or-less an athority on the subject... so I'll reconsider...

Thanks

Hahahah!

I'm no authority!

A pay for commercial use license might be a good idea - I've never tried to sell development tools so I can't really say! You are right though - why not let freeware authors advertise for you!

PolyVector · Post by **PolyVector** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:56 am

Well, you are 'Elite'

Anybody else have thoughts on the subject?

Karbon · Post by **Karbon** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:12 pm

bwhahahahaha

Elite just means I have a big mouth (and fast fingers)..

Good luck!

thefool · Post by **thefool** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:23 pm

you could also make it free for all pb developers

PolyVector · Post by **PolyVector** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 1:48 am

I could, but I'm ghetto poor

PolyVector · Post by **PolyVector** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 2:19 am

So far, my license-in-progress is similar to MUI:

Free for all freeware development...
It'll cost something if you use it in a commercial(or ad-supported) product.

I'm thinking of keeping it free for some commercial projects...
The rule of thumb will probably be: If the program is intended to aid in development, and our skin engine isn't used to simply make the tool look good, it will be free...
For example, a visual designer could use it commercially for free...
Another example would be a replacement skin-designer.

User Mike · Post by **User Mike** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 4:20 am

Well, as far as the situation goes just try to Keep it Simple (Stupid

).

Free for freeware developers and then a set dollar amount for those who want to launch their program commercially.

[EDIT] Free updates would also look great.

PolyVector · Post by **PolyVector** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 6:39 am

@Mike
Maybe you're right... I'll just keep it simple then!

Updates will always be free... I hate companies that charge for bug-fixes....

User Mike · Post by **User Mike** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 6:54 am

Yeah, free-updates are something that must always be allowed. When peolpe buy software, they expect it to be workable as soon as they get it.

As far as people distributing applications with your program you can do something very simple. Have a watermark that shows up in their programs before they start. If they want that watermark removed they can pay a fee(Either per product, or for life) that removes it.

This way you get free advertisement, developers who have a free software, and can make profit along the way.

Just my suggustion of how I might do it. (Watermark is also a good way to not worry about people distributing applications commercially without you knowing it. And if they do, well, you'll still get free advertisement.

)

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