Software compensation

What if the software sale is zero?
Unless you're part of the venture, I'd say take your money up front.

- Taiwo

"George Handlin" <handling@NOSPAMS.home.comi> wrote in message
news:3979e29f@news.dev-archive.com...
> Anyone ever been in a position to write a piece of software in partnership
> with someone else who's got the idea for the software and the marketing
> ability but not the technical ability? I'm in that position now. Looking
> for ideas from people who have done this successfully on a compensation
> plan. Mainly looking for a commission type schedule... % per sale.
>
> Thanx for any input!
>
>
>

It seems like you've answered your own question. But going by the way your
question was framed, you're still at the mercy of the performance of the
organization.

Better be sure that your compensation is based on *revenue* rather than
*profit*. All I can say is that a company that's not ready to pay for
consulting work on a periodic basis probably doesn't have the funds to
market the eventual product. The reality is, as an outsider, you're really
taking a big risk. Take the leap if you're ready for the worse...

Good luck,

- Taiwo

"George Handlin" <handling@NOSPAMhome.com> wrote in message
news:397c60d0$1@news.dev-archive.com...
> It's a bit of a complex relationship that's beyond the scope, but suffice
to
> say that sales will be good... very good. That's main issue, the other
> party has access to several thousand, potentially 10's of thousands, of
> people that take heed to their advice. That's the piece that I don't
have.
> The coding skills can be hired out, but having access to that large of an
> audience is the most imporant piece. Why did Win95 do better than OS/2,
> bigger available audience.
>
>
> "Taiwo Ayedun" <taiwo_a@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:397ba87a$1@news.dev-archive.com...
> >
> > What if the software sale is zero?
> > Unless you're part of the venture, I'd say take your money up front.
> >
> > - Taiwo
> >
> > "George Handlin" <handling@NOSPAMS.home.comi> wrote in message
> > news:3979e29f@news.dev-archive.com...
> > > Anyone ever been in a position to write a piece of software in
> partnership
> > > with someone else who's got the idea for the software and the
marketing
> > > ability but not the technical ability? I'm in that position now.
> Looking
> > > for ideas from people who have done this successfully on a
compensation
> > > plan. Mainly looking for a commission type schedule... % per sale.
> > >
> > > Thanx for any input!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

WATCH OUT!

Speaking from experience, the marketing guy and his "great" idea with "great"
contacts is not always the case, no matter what you think you see or know.
If he's as good as you say then he may have "sold" himself to you. I'm
a developer and I'm in the process of getting over such a relationship.
I'm not saying don't do it, just Cover Your A@!. Don't do anything without
council to ensure the joint venture or partnership is beneficial for both
parties. Remember time is money, get some compensation for your time and
efforts regardless of the %.

Good Luck,
Jeremy

"Taiwo Ayedun" <taiwo_a@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>It seems like you've answered your own question. But going by the way your
>question was framed, you're still at the mercy of the performance of the
>organization.
>
>Better be sure that your compensation is based on *revenue* rather than
>*profit*. All I can say is that a company that's not ready to pay for
>consulting work on a periodic basis probably doesn't have the funds to
>market the eventual product. The reality is, as an outsider, you're really
>taking a big risk. Take the leap if you're ready for the worse...
>
>Good luck,
>
>- Taiwo
>
>"George Handlin" <handling@NOSPAMhome.com> wrote in message
>news:397c60d0$1@news.dev-archive.com...
>> It's a bit of a complex relationship that's beyond the scope, but suffice
>to
>> say that sales will be good... very good. That's main issue, the other
>> party has access to several thousand, potentially 10's of thousands, of
>> people that take heed to their advice. That's the piece that I don't
>have.
>> The coding skills can be hired out, but having access to that large of
an
>> audience is the most imporant piece. Why did Win95 do better than OS/2,
>> bigger available audience.
>>
>>
>> "Taiwo Ayedun" <taiwo_a@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:397ba87a$1@news.dev-archive.com...
>> >
>> > What if the software sale is zero?
>> > Unless you're part of the venture, I'd say take your money up front.
>> >
>> > - Taiwo
>> >
>> > "George Handlin" <handling@NOSPAMS.home.comi> wrote in message
>> > news:3979e29f@news.dev-archive.com...
>> > > Anyone ever been in a position to write a piece of software in
>> partnership
>> > > with someone else who's got the idea for the software and the
>marketing
>> > > ability but not the technical ability? I'm in that position now.
>> Looking
>> > > for ideas from people who have done this successfully on a
>compensation
>> > > plan. Mainly looking for a commission type schedule... % per sale.
>> > >
>> > > Thanx for any input!
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

I assume your accusing me of bashing MS. And you twisting MS into M$ (which
in nothing less than a slur on MS's name) in the same line. Let's not worry
about exactly who is bashing MS.

I was pointing out that the value of MS's audience is not just the size, but
that audience is captive to a good extent. I backed that up with a
ecconomically sound statement.

I consider a captive audience much more valuable than a large audience. But
if your in the right position, you may get a large, captive audience like MS
has.

And I should have pointed out that an audience must be judged by more than
just size, but I was an a hurry and didn't. I left to to you to figure that
out.

--
~~~
C'Ya,
mrfelis
mrfelis@yahoo.NOSPAM.com
just remove the spam
Shane Courtrille <shane@nmasters.com> wrote in message
news:397eefee$1@news.dev-archive.com...
>
> Can't we have a single discussion without the M$ bashers showing up? Next
> thing you know we're going to have people discussing the merits of you
open
> sourcing your project!@#
>
>
> And I'd agree with the others... be careful of what you're getting into.
> Me personally I would never work on pure commision. Its too dangerous
especially
> in a software development enviroment. We've worked on 4 projects and only
> 2 of them have ever shipped. I prefer getting paid wage + commision.
>
> "mrfelis" <mrfelis@yahoo.NOSPAM.com> wrote:
> >George Handlin <handling@NOSPAMhome.com> wrote in message
> >news:397c60d0$1@news.dev-archive.com...
> >> It's a bit of a complex relationship that's beyond the scope, but
suffice
> >to
> >> say that sales will be good... very good. That's main issue, the other
> >> party has access to several thousand, potentially 10's of thousands, of
> >> people that take heed to their advice. That's the piece that I don't
> >have.
> >> The coding skills can be hired out, but having access to that large of
> an
> >> audience is the most imporant piece. Why did Win95 do better than
OS/2,
> >> bigger available audience.
> >>
> >
> >More like captive audience. More installed DOS/Win 3.1 software runs on
> 95
> >than on OS/2.
> >
> >
> >--
> >~~~
> >C'Ya,
> >mrfelis
> >mrfelis@yahoo.NOSPAM.com
> >just remove the spam
> >
> >
>