This post is a collection of thoughts that I’ve had recently regarding my code, and the ‘cost’ of them. As you may know, I’m now blogging more often, and will be re-factoring some of my code to make it cleaner, well documented, and just ‘better’.
I know that when I rebuild my CodeIgniter libraries, I could sell them for say $10 – $20 a pop. But I won’t. That’s a promise. My code will remain free, and always will. I understand that releasing premium ‘paid-for’ code can be a very lucrative business model, since it’s very much a form of passive income rather than active income. But it just doesn’t feel like ‘me’. I like that whatever I release can be used by anyone, regardless of circumstance. And that way, my work gets a wider distribution. My name becomes more well known, and this opens up more opportunities for me.
I believe in free. I believe in open-source. Almost everything I’ve learned has come from the open-source world. CodeIgniter has helped me build a career, pay my mortgage, and buy gadgets. Just because something’s free, doesn’t mean it’s without value. I know that open-source software has real value, both for individuals to learn, and for companies to build great quality, successful commercial applications…
