Who are these "normal people?" Can you give an example of software they would be interested in funding?
I'm having a hard time imagining exactly who you're targeting.
How is this different than microPledge?
I'm having a hard time imagining exactly who you're targeting.
How is this different than microPledge?
* My mom, who wants a free alternative to MS Word that works well on Windows and is less intimidating than OO (and more powerful than Google Docs)
* People who saw an OSS tool running on their friend's Linux and want a port to their platform
* People who run existing closed-source software that they want to add a feature to, but can't
* People like me who code, but are too busy to learn to hack Platform X just to get Feature Y
I was a long-time mp user. Unfortunately they are no longer operating. As I understand it, their model was more focused on funding (mostly closed) software in an open way. Of course, it's difficult to convince closed-source people that community funding is a good idea, and I think that was one of several challenges they faced before shutting down.
Our focus is completely different. We want to connect people with OSS. A large part of that is money (because money is a strong attractive force). We talk about it a lot, because people start listening when you tell them they're going to get paid. But there are other problems too--search (how do people find OSS projects?), developer time (I have a week--what do I work on?). These problems are far out of bounds of micropledge or other bounty or funding systems.
College kids who want a good, free game to play at a LAN party
College students pirate software. If they want a free game then who is supposed to fund the idea on your site? I don't think people want cheesy open-source games. They want quality graphics and good gameplay. You can't achieve that with a shoestring budget and without a team.
My mom, who wants a free alternative to MS Word that works well on Windows and is less intimidating than OO (and more powerful than Google Docs)
Does your mother really know that she needs someone to write an alternative to MS Word? She knows enough to seek out a developer and is willing to invest in software that no one else has used? I don't see people trusting their documents to an untested word processor and I don't think they would pledge money for it. OOo and Google Docs are good, free, alternatives.
Most open-source software projects are started as some hacker's pet project. If I'm going to get paid to write an MS Paint clone for the Mac then I'll keep it closed and sell it myself since normal people don't understand or care about OSS.