Yes, I agree with you for the most part, but I do understand the desire to protect what
they have.
They think they have software and hardware. I think they are wrong. I think they sell hardware.
Software is hard to recoup cost on, particularly in the small markets, where I think
hardware always wins the day.
I would argue that at this point in the Pleo there is a advantage to open sourcing more of it,
and they should also find the right way to control it.
I'd look at the model of the iPhone, a device with a basic OS and function with which users
can modify, and a system to control apps on it.
Now I would think that Pleo might be handled similarly.
If I were them I'd just loosen up the SDK agreement language a little,
stay tight on the LifeOS (to start) and encourage alternative personalities and high level features.
Then create an online app mechanism where you could buy qualified
alternative personalities (created by fans) for prices fans specify, if any, with possible uplift for cost recoup
and they'd send to customers from a loaded SD card (for added cost) or just download if you are more techie
They might break even on cost.
That also would be how to deploy new upgrades to LifeOS, and any other 'gimmie' personalities.
The problem with opening too far is if somebody sends out code that physically breaks it and then
they call in for support....that's what you don't want. That's expensive to support letting it out like that
particularly for the size of company it is, and for the cost of the product.
I think it would cost some QA time to test the incoming personalities,
and somebody to load and mail SD cards for order fulfillment.
Then there's the setup of the website for submissions and for the store (which they mostly have), but it would
be a small ongoing overhead for maintenance. They'd have to run some numbers
and do some tests to evaluate potential costs to see if might work in such a fashion.
(Does Innvo read the forums???)
Would you get cheap/free personalities for your "Pleo"?
- grumpy
- sneezy
- sleepy (for quiet time)
- dance skit pleo (with various dances)
- hannukah pleo!
and I have a bunch of other ideas and I'm sure you can come up with more.
And yes I would buy them. I'd also love to create some.
Would I buy an unqualified personality off some other sight that might damage my pleo? Not me.
When the form factor expands a bit from just a camarasaurus
I'd think the model would continue to apply just fine as the move from
version of LifeOS
version of form factor
to another
Then they could look at loosening up addressing whether it makes sense
to open LifeOS further if and when they become more stable.
I know that's not what you originally asked for... but seems more reasonable
from a business perspective to me.
Open Source is often a big gamble for a company as small as this.