UB Ports funding
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I have wondered for some time how the foundation manages on its meagre finance. The news about the uAdBlock application brought the matter into sharper focus, and caused me to consider alternative ways of creating an income stream. Before going into detail let me ask how many of you would stop using Ubuntu Touch if an annual charge was introduced. The amount of that charge is of less importance at the moment than the principle of paying for something that is currently free.
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@cliffcoggin Firstly before the lid comes of that can of worms I would check that is possible under the Foundations legal obligations under German law. Maybe @Flohack would know.
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@cliffcoggin I of course personally support any effort to increase funding for the Ubuntu Touch Foundation and its community.
However, I am convinced that imposing a mandatory amount would result in a perverse effect, namely that hesitant new users would not take the plunge. (see example of Sailfish OS), as well as alienating some members whose free software values must remain unconditional.I am open to other sources of funding such as the sale of Ubuntu Touch pre-equipped devices, data hosting, diversification of public and private partnerships, merchandising, etc... (for instance, see principles of operation of the /e/ foundation)
Probably the "Marketing Incubator" section can allow a fruitful exchange of ideas.
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@stanwood One of the reasons for checking it is even an option. It is a very big discusion to start before knowing it is possible.
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I already support through Patreon. I encourage that approach. Maybe more visibility for that? As much as I don't like paying middle-businesses, and I personally think Patreon takes too large of a percentage, there they are.
I'm open to other voluntary ways of giving money.
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I've tried a number of ways to help Ubuntu-Touch to succeed. When PayPal charged a fee to create an account it seemed I must have followed a wrong link and stopped. The bank wire seemed to be the answer but my bank refused to let me wire funds internationally to an unknown, to them, bank. I have since been looking for a local developer interested in UT to whom I could make a weekly donation in support of free public software. We all could and should do that.
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@cliffcoggin said in UB Ports funding:
let me ask how many of you would stop using Ubuntu Touch if an annual charge was introduced.
Now that I'm invested... probably, yes. But as a potential newcomer, would I have tried it if there was a fee? Probably not.
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How about an annual charge for companies using the phone for work? If you use UT on a phone and installs it your self, you have to pay an annual charge. Say 50 euros.
Maybe you should even bet on a high end pre installed phone for companies that values privacy! I would have bought one. I bought 1 Pinephone, 1 Pinephone Pro and today I got a Pixel 3a. My own company (me) bought all a of them the last month just to find a phone for privacy.
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I can be happy to pay every month for the OS if it's necessary, but then this OS will be only for "rich people" or people living in rich country. It will also avoid newcomer to try it.
Even if I'm more than happy with UT, if it's not free how will we explain to user that "x" app isn't available and "y" app is buggy?
This thread and https://forums.ubports.com/topic/7368/community-ubports-its-future/6 just remind me that I have to give more often when I can!
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@lakotaubp The foundation cannot charge services, but a service company could do. Note that you would not pay for the software itself but for infrastructure primarily and our small cloud of services like push server, system-image & OTA etc.
So for such a case someone would found a company and then take over that charging.
You could still run Ubuntu Touch on your device but for example only update it manually.
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@tchan We can make it clear if we detail for WHAT you are paying: Apps in the open store will always be free, for example. uAdBlock is a bit of a special thing here. You would need to be able to run it with your own blocklists, that you can host yourself.
But if UBports shall maintain and update those lists, you would have to pay for that. Not impossible, and still allows users to use most apps, buggy or not,.
Remember that 90% of apps is not even under the control of the foundation. Not even the openstore itself (its their own community and not affiliated with us).
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@flohack Thanks for the quick clarification. Leading to the next question, has much real research or work on this been started in the past or is it just a potential idea.
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@lakotaubp Its a potential idea, since it creates a lot of side questions, for example how to provision that service subscription on the device? We do not have the needed parts to allow an account log in from the phone and activate certain stuff.
Its a business model someone could come up with. But its not foreseen pretty much now
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@farmer Yes, its usually to much trouble with payments for stuff like this. But, I just found that you can donate in their store. Its just like any purchase. Payment with card and an automatic invoice per mail. Try it!
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@dizzy I will. Thank you.
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Interesting responses so far. I'll not comment on them yet except to note that only one person has actually answered my question.
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@cliffcoggin I would go on using it!
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@cliffcoggin
survival important question... Thank you
this will separate the wheat from the chaff...
fight for your rights..
fights are won with money ...(I don't like it either, but unfortunately it's like that ...)
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Remember that any paid service comes with a guarantee of results.
It is nothing more or less than a sales contract between a service provider and an end user.We would have to meet many requirements from users who will pay for our services, set up a customer service, expose ourselves to legal proceedings in case of non satisfaction, criticism on social networks, etc...
Do we really need to get out of free software?
Personally, even if a royalty equal to only 50% of my annual donations to the foundation were required, I would be forced to leave the project since it would no longer correspond to my computer ethics and values.
But as I mentioned above, I am open to other types of revenues (business, hardware sales, value-added services, merchandising, etc.) and as @Flohack said, it's a new business model that has to be deeply analyzed.
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