Is there a bright future for open software projects?

[Matthew Sherborne]

Here's one way it might work:

As a programmer get several clients who want a simular program written (a
bunch of competing companies), let them share the cost of the first version
of the software, and make it pretty basic and generic.

This will be cheaper for the companies in the long run than developing it
themseleves or buying "per seat" liscences to other software.

Then put up a web site with the software on, and have funded feature
requests (this is happening in a few projects already). If someone wants a
feature they pledge x amount of dollars, once some programmer feels that
there's enough money in the pot for that feature, they claim the feature and
manage adding it to the software and collect the money.

Matthew Sherborne