Re: open source or closed source? was Re: gEDA-user: lost newbie

[Al Davis <ad82@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sunday 08 January 2006 11:51 am, John Doty wrote:
> On Jan 8, 2006, at 5:44 AM, Steve Meier wrote:
> >  The geda group should set up
> > some method for donations as should other components. Open
> > Source isn't
> > free. It is payed for mostly by the developers who donate
> > their time. Those of us who like these tools can tell the
> > developers how much we appreciate their efforts by giving
> > at least a little. Those of us who make a living using
> > these tools should donate a lot.
>
> Yes! I'm sending a customer two big budget proposals today,
> one for a project continuation, one for a new project. Ales,
> Stuart et al. definitely deserve a cut...

I have been investigating sources of funding for gnucap.  There 
is a possibility of funding based on the sale of non-GPL 
licenses of ACS (Al's Circuit Simulator, from which gnucap is 
derived).  If I could get enough support, I would do it full 
time.  If there is really enough, I would expand the staff.

I thought of making a business, but I don't want to do the 
business type of work myself ... management, sales, etc.  Been 
there, done that, once is enough.

My plan of trying to do it through an academic position has not 
been working.  I accomplished more when I was working for an 
EDA company, and managed to negotiate an IP contract that let 
me keep working on it.  I left when the company was acquired 
and the new owner would not go along with it.