[NTLUG:Discuss] to 'sell' or not to sell opensource

[Chris Cox]

Richard Geoffrion wrote:
> I have found that many customers and potential customers do NOT like the
> concept of FREE software.  They can not get over the concept of having a
> company take responsibility for software used in their production
> environments.

This almost implies a Microsoft-based customer.  Many things in Unix 
(and Linux) come for free.

> 
> To this end I have decided to start charging for open source software I use
> for my customers.  The money raised during the "sale" of open source
> software can then be used to donate to the open source projects in question.
> While I realize that I can't SELL open source product, I can charge for a CD
> that represents the time and effort to download and then prepare the
> customized compiled version of that software for their system.

If I were your customer I'd expect patches/upgrades/fixes to the
OSS being sold.  The CD is a nice touch and a targeted package can
certainly have value.

> 
> I'm hoping to start making regular contributions to Samba, Dan(qmail , the
> inter7 group, Sam V.(courier mta), apache, and whoever else I can find that
> have 'donate' options.

It's a good idea.  I don't mind paying people for their work.

> 
> So the question becomes..
> 
> How do I sell 'unsellable' software without selling it??
> 
> Mandatory donations? (an oxymoron)
> Hide it in the hardware price and risk it being construed as an attempted
> 'sell' of open source?

Uhmmm... as long as source is available, you can sell as much
as you want for whatever price.

> Separate it into an additional labor line item? (what I fear I'll have to do
> and would like to avoid)

Gee, I just charge time.  I never make a buck on the stuff
I deploy (free or non-free).  The cost of software is directly
billed.  I don't bill for Apache/etc.

> 
> How do YOU handle this on your invoices? What is your wording?

I just do straight time and line items for commerical
sw pruchad