convert funding notes to rst for easier publishing

This commit is contained in:
Simon Michael 2009-01-20 08:55:46 +00:00
parent 9fb63489e2
commit 944c8af32a

206
NOTES
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@ -49,8 +49,14 @@ clever tricks like the plague." --Edsger Dijkstra
*** easy ledger compatibility testing
**** --compare to compare (xml?) output with ledger with same args
** docs
*** funding
**** vision
*** funding document
=======
funding
=======
vision
======
How to grow the hledger project ?
I'm looking for ways to fund active and sustainable hledger
@ -69,125 +75,171 @@ clever tricks like the plague." --Edsger Dijkstra
while serving the cause of Financial Solvency!
So I'm beginning by posting these notes and inviting your thoughts -
as much or as little as folks want to give. How could we do this so
that all benefit ?
**** funding models
as much or as little as folks want to give. How could we do this
so that all benefit ?
funding models
==============
Brainstorming some possible funding models & processes.
***** grants
* grants
How to find possible grant sources ?
****** con
******* getting grant funding is a whole new field to study
******* slow and time intensive, I imagine
***** donations
* con
* getting grant funding is a whole new field to study
* slow and time intensive, I imagine
* donations
Solicit donations.
****** pro
******* simple
****** con
******* often difficult
******* donators do not feel a direct benefit
***** shareware
* pro
* simple
* con
* often difficult
* donators do not feel a direct benefit
* shareware
Release the project under a non-free license, requiring commercial
users to pay the fee on an honour basis (eg).
****** pro
******* flexible, low administration, encourages trust
****** con
******* effectively closed-source ? would inhibit collaboration
******* benefit is still indirect, only a proportion will pay
******* enforcement/guilt may come into play
***** limited-time premium branch
* pro
* flexible, low administration, encourages trust
* con
* effectively closed-source ? would inhibit collaboration
* benefit is still indirect, only a proportion will pay
* enforcement/guilt may come into play
* limited-time premium branch
The funded version of hledger gets some desirable premium features
before the free version and is closed-source. Funders/customers pay
a fixed price for immediate access to the funded version. Yearly, a
new funded version is released and the old funded version is merged
into the free version. (To gain experience it could be done on a
smaller scale, eg monthly/quarterly.)
****** pro
******* all features reach community, predictably
******* customers are also community funders
******* customers receive direct benefit from paying
****** con
******* free sw developers compete/outshine the premium branch
***** bounties
* pro
* all features reach community, predictably
* customers are also community funders
* customers receive direct benefit from paying
* con
* free sw developers compete/outshine the premium branch
* bounties
Some (or all) feature, bugfix, project management or other tasks are
published with a bounty attached. When the bounty is paid by one or
more funders, the task is performed and delivered. Or, bounty is paid
on completion of task (honour system).
****** pro
******* funders receive direct benefit
***** bounties using fundable.org (eg)
* pro
* funders receive direct benefit
* bounties using fundable.org (eg)
A more organised form of the above, perhaps facilitating trust,
co-funding and larger bounties.
****** pro
******* proven process developed by others
****** con
******* fundable takes a cut
***** hosted service
* pro
* proven process developed by others
* con
* fundable takes a cut
* hosted service
Offer hosted and managed ledgers, perhaps with premium features, for
a monthly fee
****** pro
******* proven model
******* clear benefit to customers, especially non-technies
****** con
******* success of free/self-installed version competes with hosting service
******* some will avoid web-hosting their financial data
***** customisation
* pro
* proven model
* clear benefit to customers, especially non-technies
* con
* success of free/self-installed version competes with hosting service
* some will avoid web-hosting their financial data
* customisation
Offer per-user customisations, possibly to be merged in the trunk,
for a fee
***** support
* support
Offer user/developer support for a fee
***** training
* training
Offer application and/or financial training for a fee
***** profit sharing/tithing
* profit sharing/tithing
Each period (quarter, half-year, year), donate 10% (eg) to project
contributors and/or supporting projects
***** transparent funding
* transparent funding
Funding and usage of funds is published on the web as a ledger
***** opaque funding
* opaque funding
All funding and spending need not be made public
**** strengths
strengths
=========
hledger has some aptitudes in this area:
***** hledger deals with money => hledger users will tend to have some money
***** hledger's purpose is to increase financial success => users will feel its value to their bottom line
***** hledger is a tool that can support project funding, eg by publishing community funding data
**** weaknesses
***** hledger doesn't have a nice ui yet
***** hledger has a limited featureset
***** hledger requires work, eg data entry and chart of accounts maintenance
***** hledger is geeky
***** there is competition
***** hledger has no compelling market niche (aside from payment-averse free software users)
* hledger deals with money => hledger users will tend to have some money
* hledger's purpose is to increase financial success => users will feel its value to their bottom line
* hledger is a tool that can support project funding, eg by publishing community funding data
**** competitors/fellow niche inhabitants
***** web apps
****** netsuite
****** sql-ledger, ledgersmb
****** wesabe
****** ...
***** desktop apps
****** quickbooks
****** quicken
****** ms money
****** grisbi
****** gnucash
****** excel
****** ledger!
****** ...
weaknesses
==========
* hledger doesn't have a nice ui yet
* hledger has a limited featureset
* hledger requires work, eg data entry and chart of accounts maintenance
* hledger is geeky
* there is competition
* hledger has no compelling market niche (aside from payment-averse free software users)
competitors/fellow niche inhabitants
====================================
* web apps
* netsuite
* sql-ledger, ledgersmb
* wesabe
* ...
* desktop apps
* quickbooks
* quicken
* ms money
* grisbi
* gnucash
* excel
* ledger!
* ...
*** --version
*** --help