________________________________
From: Senthil Sundaram (sensunda)
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 8:25 AM
To: 'Free Software Users Group - Bangalore'; 'ILUG-C';
'bms-lug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: feedback regarding FSB session by Abhas
To add few more lines to the previous mail,
The session talked about the business model also.
Money can be earned using free software by charging for the services,
making maintenance contracts, customization, localization & upgrades.
Abhas mentioned an important business point in the model where we need
to be careful about is that maintenance contract should be for the
released version of the software and should not cover the defects due to
additional changes made by the customer to the software.
On Sun, Jun 8, 2008 at 10:00 PM, Balaji Srinivasan
<baji.sahana@xxxxxxxxx <BLOCKED::mailto:baji.sahana@xxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
Hi Senthil,
The talk by Abhas was inspiring. Till now when someone says free
software, I only connect to cost (it is free of cost), but after this
session, I appreciate the deeper meaning behind the word "free software"
and it is about free to use, free to distribute and free to modify by
the consumer.
In one sense the talk was quite philosophical (more of values)
than sharing more of practical business.
Now people who attended the session know the principles of free
software, I will be happy if there is one more session which covers the
business model in depth, the practical difficulties faced and the
lessons learned, so that more people get encouraged about doing this as
a business.
regards
Balaji
