Charging Money For Apps

[chris_r]

I just wanted to know how charging money for apps will work on the pandora. Obviously Craig has spoken about this feature before but I don't think I can find any official info on it yet. (or maybe the search and google just aren't bringing them up for me)
While in the spirit of open sourceI don't really want to charge for any games I create, it would be nice to make some of the money back that was spent on the pandora. So I was thinking I may charge a small amount (only about a pound or so) for an early release version, and then 2 weeks later to release it for free.

Would the app downloader allow for this price change to happen or would it have to be changed manually?

Is the app uploading automated or will it have to go via Craig/ED? I can understand that an app may need approval first if it is being charged for (or we may end up with another iphone 'I am rich' mess again)

Can updates be provided for the software for paying customers without having to pay again?

And finally, does 100% of the money go back to the developer, or will a small fee be taken from the price to cover the cost of hosting?

 

[belthos]

The pandora is not locked into an app store.

You can sell it on your webpage or let people download it and charge them the pound for a code to make it fully functional.

Picture distribution to be the same as if you were selling it to run on a laptop.

Belthos

 

[craigix]

I just wanted to know how charging money for apps will work on the pandora. Obviously Craig has spoken about this feature before but I don't think I can find any official info on it yet. (or maybe the search and google just aren't bringing them up for me)
While in the spirit of open sourceI don't really want to charge for any games I create, it would be nice to make some of the money back that was spent on the pandora. So I was thinking I may charge a small amount (only about a pound or so) for an early release version, and then 2 weeks later to release it for free.

Would the app downloader allow for this price change to happen or would it have to be changed manually?

I could add in an option like 'make this app free on... date'

Is the app uploading automated or will it have to go via Craig/ED? I can understand that an app may need approval first if it is being charged for (or we may end up with another iphone 'I am rich' mess again)

The uploading is as easy as clicking 'upload' and you supply a pnd image, a screen shot, an icon (small screen shot), description, title and price.

Can updates be provided for the software for paying customers without having to pay again?

Yes. If they have paid once you can't make them pay again unless you make a separate edition of the app.

And finally, does 100% of the money go back to the developer, or will a small fee be taken from the price to cover the cost of hosting?

It's free to join and I'm hovering around 75% goes to the dev, 25% to the running of the app store (which is a lot cheaper than, say, apple). Don't think running an app store is a simple or cheap job, it takes thousands of MB a month and requires full time attention. I've spoken to the people who run some of the bootleg apple stores and understand now how complex and costly it can be. However I think it will push the Pandora past the stagnation of Wiz software which we are seeing now.

 

[wardred]

Craig, an idea for your app store. Don't know how much complexity it will add.

I've seen several projects targeted at Linux that use a bounty system to release free versions of the software. Blender, for instance, comes to mind. Would it be possible to have the store setup in a way that the author can specify a set amount of money before opening his project, and have the store do that automatically? Course, with a relatively small populace, that amount couldn't be too high. I mean, if you charged $5 for your app, and all 4000 of the initial orders paid for it, that would only be 20k.

The developer would be responsible for keeping track of things like which libraries he's using and what requirements go with that library. For instance, I think SDL 1.2 is only available with a GPL or LGPL license though SDL 1.3 can have a proprietary license.

Just an idea, but I think it goes well with the ideas behind the Pandora. It allows for some commercial development, and it opens them up to the community after the developer makes as much as he thinks his app is worth. (He can always choose to open it up before that bounty is reached if it's not going anywhere, but would NOT be able to increase the bounty.)

After the bounty is reached, it would be nice if there was a suggested donation option of the same price or lower for the software. Heck, make that an option for all the software if said developer wants to be a part of it. That allows us to donate easily to projects we believe are worthwhile - such as the DC emulator, or a specific firmware.

I believe this offers a nice medium between everything is free from day one discouraging some from developing for the Pandora, and locking down a game permanently. It's similar to how ID works - though in this case the media would end up opened up as well as the source code of the software. I wouldn't get too fancy with things, and would choose 1 or 2 licenses to release the software and media with. (GPL, LGPL, and/or BSD for source, and some version(s) of creative commons license for models, levels, artwork, music, etc.)

 

[Rayek]

... However I think [the app store] will push the Pandora past the stagnation of Wiz software which we are seeing now.

I want to ask about the reasoning behind this, (not to be in any way antagonistic, I'd just like to know).

I had a first batch GP2X and the community was an exciting one to be a part of, but after the f200 came out the scene had died down considerably, so keeping the development rush going is important and a good goal, I just fail to see how an app store will do that. If certain devs needed fiscal reimbursement for the time they spent on GP2X or Wiz apps, they were (and are) free to do so regardless of if there was an app store set up or not. (Wind and Water Battles comes to mind, late to the game, but great software and at a cost.)

 

[craigix]

Because it establishes a standard and simple way to publish - we will get software ported over from other systems.

If software houses have an easy route then they will go with it. Previously it was all a mess.

Paying for apps should also encourage bug fixes and further versions.

 

[Kramy]

And keeping credit in the app store eliminates the majority of transaction fees. Paying $0.25 for a good short TD would be possible.

 

[Rayek]

So, I take it you're talking about larger commercial projects when you mention software houses?

There's still this disconnect in my mind from being able to sell directly from the Pandora and enticing a more diverse developer base for the system. As far as I can recall, most of the skepticism about a commercial GP2X endeavor from a more major player was not in the standardized implementation of a pay system, more of the general ignorance to open source.

But seeing as how Android and Chrome have proved that open source is a viable option for consumers and developers (which was not quite yet the case with the GP2X and even the Wiz) I suppose the Pandora may attract developers regardless. The Pandora was a hobbyist niche machine at inception, but because of the surge in interest over mobile, portable open-source devices in the past few months even, I suppose it could easily grow beyond that.

I had supposed that we'd see ports without an app store, I don't understand how the app store will facilitate anything more, were you thinking homebrew games or something bigger and fancier?

Not against commercial software at all, but was wondering where the idea for a standard Linux repository went, and if it was being replaced by the app store. Or if the app store is just a fancy apt-get.

As long as the app store keeps track of updates, notifies me of them, and maybe installs stable versions of the software automatically, whichever way the pay system goes I'm a happy camper.

 

[craigix]

Well that's just it, it can do those things even if you don't pay a penny.

The option to request payment is just there too to make a complete package.

And it's 9:30am and I've been up all night writing the fucker. My eye lids feel like Susan Boyle's chin.

 

[spinghed]

Well that's just it, it can do those things even if you don't pay a penny.

The option to request payment is just there too to make a complete package.

And it's 9:30am and I've been up all night writing the fucker. My eye lids feel like Susan Boyle's chin.

As your mind is addled and and open to suggestion, can you call it the "pndshop"

some days I even amaze myself!

rick

 

[Rayek]

I'm sure I speak for everyone by saying thanks for your hard work and dedication.

Get some sleep! :lol:

 

[may88]

Well that's just it, it can do those things even if you don't pay a penny.

The option to request payment is just there too to make a complete package.

And it's 9:30am and I've been up all night writing the fucker. My eye lids feel like Susan Boyle's chin.

Nighty night. Thought about sigging this but it's just a little bit too cruel.

 

[Trip]

The system you've set up sounds just the ticket Craig.

Have you set up some kind of age restriction to show or hide software that some people might find inappropriate?
I know that a lot of people don't seem to like nudity on this forum (for some reason?). Just wondering as I remember complaints about Strip Poker on the Amiga back in the day and more recently some iPhone apps being rejected for basic nudity (the app that lets you wiggle boobs for example).

Plus as much as I like porn, I'd rather not see the Pandora turn into a porn platform

 

[craigix]

I think a sort of tabloid newspaper set of rules is about right.

No porn, but boobs are fine.

 

[Trip]

I think a sort of tabloid newspaper set of rules is about right.

No porn, but boobs are fine.

Good, I like me some boobies

 

[Jumpman]

I think a sort of tabloid newspaper set of rules is about right.

No porn, but boobs are fine.

PERFECT!

 

[neko]

I think a sort of tabloid newspaper set of rules is about right.

No porn, but boobs are fine.

Just put it in a separate section and call it the FappStore.

 

[Tempel]

The uploading is as easy as clicking 'upload' and you supply a pnd image, a screen shot, an icon (small screen shot), description, title and price.

What'll be in place to prevent malicious apps? Something as simple as a "report this app" button? In that case, the only way to spot good ones is by how many downloads they have and how long they've been up. I expect manual vetting of every one would be a terrible burden. Maybe certain long-time users could become trusted and give approval to any apps they take the time to peruse (while still allowing unperused ones to be there, just without a big "approved by [famous dude]" sticker). Someone come up with good ideas please!

 

[Trip]

I think a sort of tabloid newspaper set of rules is about right.

No porn, but boobs are fine.

Just put it in a separate section and call it the FappStore.

:lol:
Changing my quote for that one.

 

[Vorporeal]

Out of curiosity, are you implementing a comment system for submissions? I know that works very well for torrents, and it might be a good idea for this too. And if you do, a really nice feature would be the ability to separate out comments for different versions of the application. So if someone makes a comment on an app and then the app gets updated, the comment gets marked as "posted about old version" or something.