0

Are there any services that allow you to place advertising in Windows software? I want to give away my software for free but still need to eat!

skaffman
  • 398,947
  • 96
  • 818
  • 769
  • 4
    This plan of yours won't work. Unless it's really cool software, there will hardly be enough people interested to make a living off. All you'll do is annoy your small band of users. A plan that works for a lot of other developers is to have a paying day job and do their free software in their spare time. – Carl Smotricz Nov 25 '09 at 14:09
  • 3
    If only the RIAA (music industry) saw it your way, Carl. – PP. Nov 25 '09 at 14:14
  • 3
    Here's an idea, give away your software for free, but limit it to function for a few hours only. Then when any body copies the program allow it to fully function but then lobby your government to brand those people copying your program as pirates! Never mind the realities of ocean-going piracy! You have the opportunity to criminalise a whole generation! – PP. Nov 25 '09 at 14:16

3 Answers3

2

Check out OpenCandy, they have a really nice concept IMHO: only a single, opt-in ad - in the installer (so your application remains ad-less). There is an interesting post about them @ DonationCoder.

Ohad Schneider
  • 36,600
  • 15
  • 168
  • 198
0

It is, of course, trivial to put a fixed collection of adverts into your code. The trouble comes if you want to sell eyeballs and have the ads change. Then the code has to go talk over the network to get new adds.

Many people would have a name for this: adware. If people find you making network connections behind their back, as it were, they are likely to break out some more negative terms.

However, if you are completely open and honest about it when you offer the code for download, then your conscience might be clear.

Practically, you need to have code that makes a network connection to some site of yours, pulls the ad content, and displays it in some sort of annoying popup.

bmargulies
  • 97,814
  • 39
  • 186
  • 310
  • 2
    It's only spyware if it collects and distributes information on the user's habits and software usage. If all it does is display ads, then it's adware, not spyware. – Erik Forbes Nov 25 '09 at 14:03
  • 2
    Why is a program that periodically grabs new ads from an internet-based service "spyware"? What exactly is it spying on? The common understanding of the term "spyware" is that it's somehow spying on the activity of the user or computer, not that it connects to the internet. – delfuego Nov 25 '09 at 14:04
  • a) modified. b) a program that semi-surreptitiously connects to the network, when it has no apparent reason to do so, is likely to be presumed guilty. – bmargulies Nov 25 '09 at 14:05
0

Check with individual affiliate programs to see if they allow links in applications.

You can also try the Freemium model: Turn on some extra features if they pay for your program.

Or link to your website for support information, instructions, etc., and place ads there.

Or offer an e-mail newsletter with updates, news, etc. Advertising in these is easier.

You can also ask this over at http://www.startups.com

John
  • 15,990
  • 10
  • 70
  • 110