[Ardour-Dev] funding priorities

[schoappied]

Patrick Shirkey wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I will try to put together a comprehensive list of all the suggestions 
> in no particular order as they all have merit in their own way.
>
> 1: Grants
> 2: Mantis integration with website
> 3: Fundraiser
> 4: Mantis/website integration with Ardour interface: rss feed/ticker, 
> embedded browser
> 5: Donate header on website
> 6: Made with Ardour CD
> 7: Ardour Live boot CD
> 8: Paid for SVN
> 9: Paid License to: disable crippled interface, Get access to more 
> features, Disable RSS ticker
> 10: Glossy brochure for trade shows
> 11: Advertising in industry magazines
> 12: Celebrity endorsement
> 13: Approaching State run media companies with Ardour as a industry 
> grade product.
> 14: Funding from a well resourced Patron
> 15: Funding from a Company in the entertainment/media business
> 16: More subscriptions
> 17: Subscriptions at different rates.
>
> * Please respond to this thread with new or missed suggestions only.
>
> * In order to make speedy headway we should split the items off into 
> groups that can be discussed and dealt with in separate threads.
>
> * IMO, Everything on this list except the 8 and 9 should are 
> reasonable and should be put into action without delay. 8 and 9 
> require serious discussion before they any work is started.
>
> * Once we have fine tuned the implementation details we can present 
> the results for each item to Paul for his final approval.
>
> * This way Paul can keep focused on his already busy schedule without 
> having to worry about the finer details of the discussions.
> * If we can get the list above actioned in the next 6 months we should 
> start to see substantial improvements in the financial situation.
>
> * As usual we should try to keep on topic with each thread ;-) 
> Although going off topic is half the fun anyway...
>
I miss:

1) earn money with services, not with software

- payed support
- giving lectures | about using ardour | about writing audio software

2) Change licences, commercial version, for example:

- Linux version is GPL and free
- make a payed version for Mac (and Windows)
- Make a free demo version (SAE-version?) for Mac (and Windows)

3) Make contracts with hardware suppliers

4) Helping ICT students

- payed assistantship  (e.g. students can take part in the dev process 
and pay Paul as a teacher (maybe the paying can be done by ICT schools 
and universities?)

5) Educate talented software programmers:

- Let talented developers take part in the Ardour team and give them 
help to learn to work with C++ and audio.  You can make some kind of 
social contract, 'we help you develop you c++ and audio programming 
skills, after 6 months assistantship, you will be an active member of 
the Ardour team for at least one year (for example).
This lightens the burden of Paul (he could do his Ardour work part-time) 
and helps the development of Ardour also in the future.



Regards,

~d