OT?: Question for Tommorow's QnA with KB

[Tim Fischer]

> Some people say just the opposite -- charge big bucks for the developer's
> modules and give the runtimes away for free.
> 
> Besides, didn't one of the "big guys" (Oracle?) try this many years ago,
> where they gave away developer versions for free, hoping to draw in lots
> of people developing programs, and selling runtimes?  I seem to recall
> that it bombed, and didn't get anywhere.
> 

Well, the runtime is where you're going to sell more licenses - looking at
my company, I think we have a 16 user development license (which is overkill
for having 2 onsite developers) with a 256 user runtime - which would you
prefer to give away.  :)

I don't know who tried it - maybe it wouldn't work, but then again, maybe it
would help get new blood into the development side - which can’t hurt.
Either way, I don't know that using Oracles business and marketing practices
is a good idea for FPTech.  

I'm thinking of a couple of friends I have who are working on a really great
project, but they don't know what platform to use.  I can't really suggest
FilePro simply because of the cost of development.  I would suggest mysql
with a C or even a PHP front end, but neither of them are really well versed
in C or PHP.  If they could get a free development package for FP, since
they already have 2 customers lined up - that's 2 8-16 user runtime packages
that are almost guaranteed sales.  And really, if you get these 2 guys
thinking about FilePro and what it can do - where do you lose?

Personally, I'd love a copy of the Windows development kit - half for just
checking it out and half for making projects on the side.

Just my $.02. 

Tim


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