Why I write android software

When I bought an Android G1, I started writing software for it, play projects, for my own edification, with myself as the sole intended user. I had downloaded some apps from the market, and found one or two free ones useful, for reference this was shortly before pay apps were available on the market. Once paid apps became available one of the apps that I was using on a daily basis, discontinued its free version and went to only supporting future pay versions, which were $1.99.

This annoyed me, the software wasn't all that good to begin with; I had been hoping for an update. Plus, I come to find out it was based on the open source android AlarmClock source tree, and all the changes kept secret!. Personally I didn't think an alarm clock was worth $1.99 in the first place, especially one with minor features added to an open source project.

So I developed Alarming! and released it for as cheap as I could. I also released the source code under APACHE2 license just as google did; anyone can use and redistribute the source or binaries for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

The main reason I am selling software in the android market is my extreme annoyance at the "Bait-n-Switch" culture that exists in it now with "lite" or "trial" versions, they offer a pusher's "first dose is free!" promise, to trick you into buying their software. Perhaps they feel that we wouldn't buy it on our own unless we were somehow duped into it?

I personally believe that there are only two reasons why you wouldn't share your source code: Either you are charging too much for it, or you are embarrassed at the quality. People will fall into three groups on the source code availability issue. The first group aren't programmers and don't care one way or the other if the source code is available to them. The second group are programmers, while technically capable, are all too familiar with the headaches involved in software development and will gladly let the author do all the heavy lifting.

The third group of programmers will blatantly copy your code and try to pass it off on their own, capitalizing off of your work; this will backfire on them. f they copy your source and add no additional value, it will be obvious to their users who will just seek out your original; they have in fact help promote your product. Even if they have come up with some new features that do add value, you have now gained some critical feedback on what to improve in your own project. If you feel that you are losing out in revenue targeting end-users, perhaps you should be targeting other developers who have already shown a marked interest in your products.

So here are the following promises Hlidskialf Software makes on all products it will sell in the android market:

1. All source code will be licensed under APACHE2 and available to anyone.
2. Unstable binaries will always be available for unlimited download from the website
3. Stable binaries will be available through the market at the lowest price possible.