But then, what you might want to happen might never get done, and there
would be no first on the block, and it won't be on the next tape or
patch.

Can those among us with more industry knowledge than I have (lots more
than I have, I don't have much industry knowledge) look at how this does
or does not work for real world entities? For instance, there is the GNU
foundation, but they are working with more or less readily available
stuff. I doubt that that model would work for IMAGE. Is there anyone out
there that is making such a model work, or are there notable failures of
this concept to serve as cautionary tales?

>----------
>From:  Jim Phillips[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent:  Wednesday, August 06, 1997 10:09 AM
>To:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject:       Re: [HP3000-L] 3k funding models redux
>
>-----------------------
>This sounds like a good idea.  However, in order to sell it to my boss
>(who controls the purse/wallet strings), I need to be able to show a
>return for the money we're going to invest.  That shouldn't be too
>hard to do if the projects we want to fund are clearly defined and I can
>show how having such-and-such a functionality will directly benefit our
>company.  But what about those who don't fund a certain project?  If the
>sites who don't fund a project get the same functionality (that I paid
>to develop) and they don't have to pay for it (or pay a smaller price
>than I did), then where's my incentive to fund the development in the
>first place?  Just to be the first one on the block to have something
>won't cut it.  I guess I'll just sit back and let you who have the
>deep pockets fund this stuff, and I'll get it when the next freeware
>tape comes out or the next OS upgrade.
>
>Jim Phillips                            Manager of Information Systems
>E-Mail: [log in to unmask]      Therm-O-Link, Inc.
>Phone: (330) 527-2124                   P. O. Box 285
>  Fax: (330) 527-2123                   Garrettsville, Ohio  44231
>