Raj MadhuramYou would have all known about freeware, shareware and vaporware. I’m experimenting with a concept that I call Socialware – that is using software to help with social causes.
While shareware is used by the developer to fund their developments, all proceeds gained by a socialware should go to a charitable cause. In addition,
- All socialware should be freeware, in the spirit of giving back to the community. There should be no trial periods or multiple level unlocking. It is totally up to the receiver of the software to contribute to the cause or not.
- The software can be freely distributed, as long as it is accompanied by the email/URL of the software home page.
- Regarding source licenses, I’m pretty open. It should be upto the developer to release the source code, and if he/she does, with the license they choose.
If you are a software developer, I’d love to hear from you. Your ideas and opinions would be very valuable!
I’m going to release my first socialware, an Android application just in time for the Christmas holidays in a couple of days. Stay tuned!
Love this idea of socialware – another face of social entrepreneurship I’ve been following. You should probably ask (may be enforce) users to donate to a social cause from a list of NGOs, organizations you like. It could be to a few specific NGOs of your liking, or to portals which give a wide choice of NGOs. Let me know and we can discuss further.
Cool and innovative idea :) Way to go Socialware