Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!mephisto!ncar!ico!ism780c!randvax!ucla-an!stb!richard
From: richard@stb.uucp (Richard Conner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: Re: marketing of programs
Keywords: programmers marketing
Message-ID: <1990Feb19.233223.11341@stb.uucp>
Date: 19 Feb 90 23:32:23 GMT
References: <9002160434.AA12227@cie.uoregon.edu>
Reply-To: richard@stb.uucp (Richard Conner)
Organization: Conceptually Advanced Technologies
Lines: 66

In article <9002160434.AA12227@cie.uoregon.edu> dsears@CIE.UOREGON.EDU writes:
>The open letter below was on a local BBS, and I pass it on because I think
>some net.programmers might find it interesting and useful.
>
>For several years I had pondered the state of the software industry from
>the point of view of a programmer developing a new program, and what I
>saw bothered me quite a bit.  They had several choices: all bad!

	We tend to agree.

>They can go the traditional route and sell it to a Software house. 
>Software houses may buy the program outright if they think it's a real
>killer.  In one typical story a programmer was overjoyed to receive $75K
>for their program only to later learn that the company already had a
>marketing slot for it, and made over $2M in the first year of sales.

	"Typical" horror story... the "Software House" basically
	"buys off" someone they know to have a product that could
	be sold very succesfully for a "pitiful" amount compared
	to what the program will earn for the company.

>On the other hand they may elect to pay the programmer royalties -
>typically 5-15% of the *net*.  Guess how small the net is by the time
>they get down to figuring royalties?!?

	I keep hearing this 5-15% royalty number everywhere also.
	"ooh how generous."

>A third choice is trying to market your creation yourself.  Given the
>need to have a fair amount of expertise in publishing, packaging,
>marketing, and other esoteric callings, not to mention the inordinate
>amount of time and energy needed to get a new product off the ground,
>this is obviously something that is *not* for everyone.

	Obviously this takes alot of time and energy, not to mention
	resources and contacts.  Well, before you "commit" to some
	other "Software House"  contact as many as you can, and be
	sure to find out details about what each will give you as
	far as one-time payoff, or royalties.

Then... talk to us.

We don't believe 5-15% royalties are quite fair to someone who may have
worked quite awhile on something.  Especially considering the fact that
"games" are almost guaranteed to sell more in the Amiga market than
"utilities."  We are interested in helping provide the non-game market
with as much quality and usefull product as possible.  This is what will
help sell the Amiga into the larger businesses.
 
We have contacts with the two largest Amiga distributors in America, and
smaller distributors as well.  We also have on hand a full-time Artist
as well as printing, and packaging contacts.  We also have the advertising
contacts.  So instead of going shareware, or settling for "generous"
5-15% royalties - talk to us, depending on the quality of your product
we may offer royalties upwards from 25% (or higher depending on quality
and saleability of your programs)  We also have on hand Full-time expert
Amiga programmers available to perhaps add that final polish to your
program.  We felt you'd like to know of "other" alternatives.
 
-Richard Conner
Conceptually Advanced Technologies
P.O. Box 3302
Santa Monica, CA  90403
213/452-1732
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