[linux-audio-user] Commercial audio software on Linux

[Rob]

On Sat August 19 2006 05:16, Davy Wentzler wrote:
> Now comes the big question: since this is commercial software
> (with a price between 35 and 45 euro), would it be worth the
> effort to release it on Linux? I think most Linux users are
> used to open-source and free programs and I saw some already
> nice looking programs like Ardour and MuSe. I would like to
> hear from you if there would be any interest?

Though I left the Amiga world over 12 years ago, I'm glad to see 
developers with Amiga roots still around.

I think you would see more interest in a Linux version of your 
app than the reactions of people on this list (who are already 
using free softare) might lead you to believe.  For example, 
MainConcept has been publishing a Linux version of their 
proprietary video editor for almost a decade, which they 
wouldn't be doing if it were a money loser.  Here is what I 
would do if I were in your position:

1. Develop your app to be as user-friendly and well-documented as 
possible.

2. Test and test and test until it's stable as anything, since 
your users won't be able to debug it themselves (and users who 
can debug code aren't your target market anyway.)  People 
posting in Linux forums for help on proprietary software are 
seldom given a lot of help, and will more often hear "Dump that 
crap and switch to _________".  In this case, that would be 
Ardour.

3. Make a deal with Linspire to be featured prominently in their 
"click-n-run warehouse".  This will require making a clean .deb 
package, though I guess it's possible Linspire might handle that 
for you... I've never tried to sell prepackaged Linux software.

If your program is as stable as Ardour but more user friendly, 
yet has the same pro-level features, some Linspire users will 
buy it for $39.99. Not many of them, but I'm guessing enough to 
make back your time investment and give you a bullet point 
("crossplatform") on your list of features. Then there will be a 
ton of shrieking on this list and others about how Linspire is 
pitching some proprietary software instead of Ardour and "why 
don't these users know any better?" But you'll have users and a 
business relationship by then.

I personally can't see myself using it, but again, I'm not your 
target market.  That would be (a) non-technical users, (b) 
people who dislike Ardour's rather unique interface, (c) people 
who want easy crossplatform HDR, and (d) musicians buying on 
impulse, as many of us do.  The only way to reach them with 
proprietary software under Linux is through Linspire, since I've 
never been in any retail store that sold shrinkwrapped Linux DAW 
software of any kind and any software sold electronically to 
non-technical users that requires them to open a console to 
install it is probably doomed to fail.  (Linspire plans on 
offering their "warehouse" to Ubuntu users in the future as 
well, though I can barely imagine the screaming that will 
entail.)

I would encourage you to target OS X since there are more audio 
users on there by far, but due to GarageBand you'd be like 
Netscape trying to sell a browser to people used to getting IE 
preinstalled on their computers.  It doesn't matter if your 
program is way more powerful, you're at a huge disadvantage 
coming out of the gate.

Rob