Pay Per Patch: A Free Software Market Model

“Free software can be viewed as sort of a public good —
everyone can benefit from it. Instead of paying for complete
applications, buyers may wish to only pay for specific program
elements they want, which the software lacks. Therein lies an
opportunity to make money on free software, instead of around
it.

“This should be a concise description of Pay Per Patch — a
new market model whose goal is the commercialization of free
software.

“Introduction

“Seeing how free software programmers seldom gain financial
benefit directly from their software, I have sought to imagine a
way to sell freedom respecting software on the existing market,
playing by its rules. Some of you, having read the title “Pay Per
Patch”, may have already started seeing the outline of the idea. It
is, of course. about selling individual software patches in a way
which would provide quality and four freedoms to the buyer, all the
while being able to provide income to the developer. How exactly
this can be realized is the question I will try to address shortly.
I would like you, the free software community, to peer-review it
and offer your constructive criticism.”

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