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From: horstman@sjsumcs.sjsu.edu (Cay Horstmann)
Newsgroups: alt.msdos.programmer,comp.sys.ibm.pc.programmer,comp.os.msdos.apps
Subject: Re: Insights on selling software?
Message-ID: <1990Jul15.161926.9980@sjsumcs.sjsu.edu>
Date: 15 Jul 90 16:19:26 GMT
References: <23453@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
Reply-To: horstman@sjsumcs.SJSU.EDU (Cay Horstmann)
Distribution: usa
Organization: San Jose State University
Lines: 26

In article <23453@boulder.Colorado.EDU> haverlan@tramp.Colorado.EDU (HAVERLAND MARC BRADLEY) writes:
>
>I am interested in hearing from anyone who has sold a software
>package to a company that markets it.
>Did you sell it for a lump sum, royalties, both, or some other
>arrangement?
> 
Read "Legal Care for your Software" for guidance. I would strongly
suggest royalties instead of a lump sum if your product is any good :-)
And ask for an advance against royalties. I think typical figures are
approx. 20% of net sales, and an advance of what they estimate the royalties
to be in the first 6-12 months. I'd like to know the experience of other
netters on these figures! 

("Legal Care for your Software" is from Nolo Press in Berkeley.)

How to approach companies? Beats me. When I was in that situation, I sent
my creation to a large number of companies and got a yawn from everyone.
I ended up marketing it myself, with very good success. I certainly have
a lot more (1) money (2) control (3) hassle this way than going through
a publisher, but how many tiny software companies does the world need?

Cay

P.S. Why don't you tell us more about your product, maybe you can get
a direct referral from someone else on the net.