> >> They have a product - it's just that they give it away for free.
> >> That's a buisness model I can admire.
> >Absolutely!! And there's ample proof it can be profitable as well for
> >the corporation involved. A model more corporations should follow, I'd
> >say. And a corporation could definitely make money on a free online
> >racing service. Just think about it for a minute, and you'll see what I
> >mean.
> Well, they're not really giving their "product" away. They STILL sell
> Linux at CompUSA, et al. as well as direct. Where they're making what
> little money they're making is in services, contracts, and licensing.
> THAT's where Sierra could learn a lesson: LICENSE out the N3 and GPL
> engines. ALLOW other companies to make 3Do carbodies, tracks, etc. and get
> a license fee. I would STILL wager that the expanded customer base due to
> the wider variety of carsets, tracks, etc. would increase their overall
> profit for the title. Imagine an AUTHORIZED F1 (or CART, or SCCA) carset
> for N3 (or GPL)? Imagine your local 1/2mi oval in NL?! And even tho' Sierra
> didn't have to spend another PENNY, they could still make 2% off the top for
> EVERY COPY SOLD!
> As I've said before (and many have agreed) - I'd pay $20 for another
> track pack. And I'll pay another $20 for the Trucks. And another $20 for
> dirt cars (with tracks). And maybe even another $20 for Indy-style cars.
> But I'm not just talking about "custom 3Do's" like I've seen around (the
> differences in body shapes, N3- (or GPL-) native tracks - not those palette
> problems...
> I'll believe FOREVER that licensing is where a publisher can make their
> money once a product ships.
> And I can assure that it's unlikely that the retail version of Linux is
> keeping Red Hat alive. But nor are they "giving away their product."
> Gunner
Don't have a lotta bones about the racing ideas. Sound good to me. But
the last segment.....
Rest assured, Linux is *free*. If you so chose, you could even download
the entire thing off the net & burn it to cd for nothing. Legally.
What RedHat, and other distributors as well, sells is *tech support* for
the product. You are in essence buying a warranty that guarantees
you'll get it up & running on your system. What seems to be keeping
RedHat very much alive is the e***ment that there is soon to be a real
alternative in the O/S world. And that is not meant as a M$ bash, per
se. Because it should also have an effect of improving their product
offerings as well, with the consumers being the ultimate winners.
Now, as far as a free online *** service.......Imagine, if you will,
the all-familiar multiplayer screen in N3, NL or even the VROC-style
screen for GPL. Then imagine the top, say, 20% (arbitrary figure) being
sold as advertising space on either a per-hit or term payment schedule.
Businesses already budget for advertising expenses, so there need not be
any additional outlay there. And the *** community at large (us)
need not pay either. Add in an interface "standard" that any ***
company could plug their title into for multiplayer, and the resultant
usage rates should more than pay the bills.
To add cream to the top of this, add the capability of spectator-mode
viewing with the same advertising agenda. Not only can friends and
family, co-workers, etc. show up & watch the live action, those sitting
on the fence over a particular title may just get prodded into a
purchase also, benefitting the software producers. One needent*** the
consumer base of a significant portion of their hard-earned paycheck in
order to make money!
--
Chuck Kandler #70
ChuckK or KS70 on Won.net
K&S Racing
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
The box said "Windows 95 or better", so I installed LINUX!
