Open Market Software (OMS) – the next wave

[ Thanks to Tom
Snyder for this link. ]

There is a profound change taking place in the world of software
development which is going to overwhelm both the Closed Source
Software (CSS) and Open Source Software (OSS) models.

It’s what I call Open Market Software or OMS and it solves
critical problems which exist with both the Closed (CSS) and Open
(OSS) source software models.

In Closed Source Software, to grossly oversimplify, only one guy
gets paid, the owner of the source code. Sure the programmers get
paid but they are paid on an hourly basis, not on the basis of
shared revenues. Further, corporate structure is generally stifling
to creative (i.e. good) work. I cite the popularity of Dilbert as
proof of this assertion, ’nuff said.

Without belabouring a point well known to all Slashdot readers,
Closed Source Software is disadvantaged relative to Open Source
because Open Source simply allows more people to participate in the
development of the product. Provided this participation can be
managed, Open Source simply wins on strength of numbers. The
downfall of Open Source is that people don’t get paid for their
work (at least not directly).

So again, broadly speaking, Closed Source Software loses because
only one guy gets to be creative and only one guy reaps scalable
benefits from the product. Also, lack of global reach means not
everyone pays for what they use so those who do pay, pay too much.
Open Source Software is flawed because, although everyone gets to
be creative, no-one pays and no-one gets paid.

Thus we see the emergence of Open Market Software, OMS. This is
the “everyone gets paid” and “everyone gets to be creative” model.
In OMS you may still have a Linux-like governing committee but you
develop a market place for bringing together people who need code
fixes and people willing to develop the same.

Marketplaces where coders can post their own work for resale,
buyers can post reviews, and people with needs can post open
requisitions, are appearing today. Check www.cosource.com,
www.sourcexchange.com and even www.questionexchange.com
(conceptually similar idea, only text is bid on and resold rather
than code).

Let me say briefly, without elaborating, that micropayments and
the global reach of a popular OMS website, with a great database
and search engine, will overcome both piracy and high prices by
ensuring that everyone who needs certain software gets it. Pirate
sites wont be able to give code away for less than the cost of
getting it from the authoritative site without rising above the
radar and getting nabbed. Think about it hard, piracy will go
away.

Imagine the combination of a searchable, reviewed, on-line store
of existing software and technical articles combined with a
marketplace for the development of new software and articles. No
more re-inventing the wheel. Imagine a system whereby the
developers of a given piece of code can negotiate revenue sharing
with people wishing to improve their code. Imagine how, through
micropayments and many negotiations over time, everyone who
contributes shares in the revenues for code they develop.

I know these thoughts are some what incomplete and that I have
made some oversimplifications. I offer them up for consideration
and improvement by others. However, I do believe fundamentally that
the internet has enabled Open Market Software to be a viable
concept, one in which:

– Everyone gets to contribute creatively
– Everyone who contributes gets paid
– Everyone who needs code/inforamtion is aware of it
– Everyone who uses code/information pays for it.

By the way, if you have seen the phrase “Open Market Software,
(OMS)” expressed with this concept before please let me know so I
can give credit where due.

Space_Viking

aka Tom Snyder