Would you Pay $1 for a maemo theme.

[andrewfblack]

I've been considering using my N900 again and creating some themes to sell on the Ovi store. Before I start please help me determine if its worth my time.

[antezz]

I would pay if it's professional and nice looking one then i would pay even more then one dollar.

[MiK546]

I would (exspecially if they would be extraordinary good) but pressed the No-button accidentally so count one vote more to the Yes-option and one less to No.

[bandora]

I would pay if it's professional and nice loking one then i would pay even more then one dollar.

That's exactly what I was going to say...

[crash16]

i suppose you have your own company..otherwise you can't put them on ovi store. Moreover, the registering charge is 50£...so if nobody buys your themes....you know what i mean

[garyc2010]

I'll give you $3 if you can get exchange sync working

[biggzy]

I've been considering using my N900 again and creating some themes to sell on the Ovi store. Before I start please help me determine if its worth my time.

Yes i would, why? because i know how much hard work goes into creating a theme.

[volt]

i dont think i would until i've tried it.

[d-iivil]

Yes I would.

[HellFlyer]

I will buy and I hope you will update Humanity theme as well :P

[lancewex]

I would but it would have to be more interesting than those I have seen so far. Most I have tested are only different enough from the built in ones to make some things hard to see or read. So I removed the all.

[acou]

I have no use for them(es).

[jedi]

Definitely wouldn't pay - goes totally against my Linux principles :)

(Sorry!)

[pthomas22]

I know a lot of work goes into making themes but as yet I don't really make any use of them

[HtheB]

I would buy it if you make themes on request

[andrewfblack]

i suppose you have your own company..otherwise you can't put them on ovi store. Moreover, the registering charge is 50£...so if nobody buys your themes....you know what i mean

Well I figure if 1 our of 1000 people who downloaded just my maemo.org theme downloads my ovi themes then I will make the 50Euros. Also starting a company takes all of 5 minutes.

[garyc2010]

Definitely wouldn't pay - goes totally against my Linux principles

(Sorry!)
_______________

But you still buy a phone with closed/proprietary binaries....so what exactly are your "Linux Principles" ???

[andrewfblack]

I would buy it if you make themes on request

I can do themes on request but its hard to do a theme for everyones requests for $1. I guess I could take some requests.

[andrewfblack]

Yes I would.

lol I figured you only used your themes.

[andrewfblack]

I will buy and I hope you will update Humanity theme as well :P

I'm not sure who is doing the Humanity themes, buts its not me has the designer quit working on it?

[deyons]

i would pay if its as good as the N900 Android theme

[andrewfblack]

Definitely wouldn't pay - goes totally against my Linux principles :)

(Sorry!)

So you won't pay developers who work hard in their free time but you will pay a multibillion dollar company for their work?

[NvyUs]

looks like ppl are 50/50 on this, i would pay no problem i like to support the work of people.
maybe you should think about doing 2 versions of you themes a Free and Premium version.
Free version would come with maemo default icons etc, where as for $1 you get a full version of the theme with you custom icons and other stuff not included in free version.

[andrewfblack]

Well as long as I pay for my publisher account and some spare change for my time I think I might do some more themes.

[nicola.mfb]

So you won't pay developers who work hard in their free time but you will pay a multibillion dollar company for their work?

Good point, and as the n900 has several closed components (that we payed) those linux principles cannot be used here.

Hoping you'll gain some money for your effort.

[sjgadsby]

Some twelve years ago or so I somehow lost interest in tweaking the look of my computing devices. So, I've just been using the bundled orange theme on each of my Maemo devices since OS2007.

If I bought a theme of yours from the Ovi Store, it would just be as a sort of donation in support of all you've done for the community, Andrew. Given I've heard nothing but horror stories from Maemo developers who have attempted to get items into the Ovi Store, and given the cut Nokia would take of that one dollar donation, it just doesn't seem fair for me to vote "Yes" though.

[HellFlyer]

I remeber you opened a topic stating that you will update that theme when certain condition is met ( some app u needed to access you email at or something like that) maybe it was another person :)

[NokiaRocks]

Yea sure if it's a nice looking theme and I do like it.

[sony123]

For the sake of being fancy, charge me $5 for a nice theme with live wallpaper and I might bite.

[ysss]

Definitely wouldn't pay - goes totally against my Linux principles :)

(Sorry!)

Linux principles... as in OSS?
I don't think it has anything against monetizing the work done as long as the source code is provided. Besides, this has got to do more with artful content which don't directly fall under OSS.

[gtessier00]

(First of all, sorry for my bad english, I hope you'll understand me) Everybody, pardon me for whining, but this message is especially to people who voted no to the poll in this thread.
It must be pretty hard for a developper to put a lot of time creating a theme and apps to make the N900 a better device, right? Time is money? You all go to work, take your time to gain hard-earned cash? Why wouldn't we pay one single dollar for a theme that took hours to make?
Personnally, I think that the number of apps is restricted because most developpers have NO motivation to create some.
I would be ready to pay more than 1$ for a nice theme. I'd pay big cash for great and useful apps.
Just my 10 cents.

[Texrat]

For a good one, gladly. Maybe more. Why not?

[ysss]

This is just an idea...

How about you make this part of a bigger thing... what if you incorporate themes of OSS organizations and/or non profits (Wwf, etc) and you do a profit-sharing/partial-donation for the respective organizations?

If that is the case, I would gladly spend $5 each (with a promised split of at LEAST 50% to the cause).

Just an idea.

[Creamy Goodness]

A nice theme is totally worth $1 to me. But I already have some nice themes. Hmmmmm. I voted yes anyways BECAUSE ITS JUST A DOLLAR!!

[acou]

This is just an idea...

How about you make this part of a bigger thing... what if you incorporate themes of OSS organizations and/or non profits (Wwf, etc) and you do a profit-sharing/partial-donation for the respective organizations?

If that is the case, I would gladly spend $5 each (with a promised split of at LEAST 50% to the cause).

Just an idea.

That's not just an idea, this brings us deep into the predominant ideology of capitalism and tells a lot about you. I take it you enjoy your starbucks.

[Texrat]

That's not just an idea, this brings us deep into the predominant ideology of capitalism and tells a lot about you. I take it you enjoy your starbucks.

Actually you seem to be 180 degrees off in your interpretation.

[ysss]

That's not just an idea, this brings us deep into the predominant ideology of capitalism and tells a lot about you. I take it you enjoy your starbucks.

Are you serious?

For someone that sells his work to pledge a portion of the revenue for non-profits, that would be deeply capitalistic? wtf am I missing here?

[pthomas22]

That's not just an idea, this brings us deep into the predominant ideology of capitalism and tells a lot about you. I take it you enjoy your starbucks.

please explain as I don't think you understand the post correctly

[acou]

Deeply ideological. Of course i am serious, but at the same time it's funny to see how people do not get how the injunction to participate in a "greater thing", things which have serious political backgrounds and thus have to be resolved politically, actually fuels consumerism. A study showed that it is mostly ruthless, "not so friendly" people who participate in such actions, mostly to calm their conscience. That's the whole point of charity. You pay a small fee and you can go on with your life, full of legitimate obscenities, without having to ask painful questions, which would probably even go against the things you practice. This makes sure everything stays like it is, none of the problems will be resolved. That's not change you can believe in, that's cosmetics, a psychological fa(r)celift. But let us not hijack this thread...

[HtheB]

I can do themes on request but its hard to do a theme for everyones requests for $1. I guess I could take some requests.

5$ for a theme on request sounds fear enough? :)

If so: I'm on!
Got a request for you :)

A theme with my favorite soccer team! :D
(Lovely sentence! :p)

[S0urcerr0r]

i would also pay for it if its something i really found special and have great functionality.

functionality could be something related to: 4 desktops that each have a certain layout that will somehow be specialized for different usages. ex: "homescreen 1=applications", "homescreen 2=widgets", "homescreen 3=internet shortcuts" ...etc...

usually i also get disoriented when using 4 desktops, i never know if i should navigate right or left to reach a certain homescreen the fastest way.


things like these can improve the feeling of each desktop homescreen, if its nice graphics as well.

currently im using some bacteria desktop backgrounds with really nice powerful colors that really makes their own right on the N900 screen... ex. of mi current 1st desktop:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090723194321.htmhttp://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8648/090723194321large.jpg

(i think the purples, pinks, whites and blacks really are eyecandy and blows away the N900 screen!)

if a complete theme with similar effects like this can be made and more suited for the N900, i would seriously consider buying - as i like flashy stuff like this with plenty of functional adaption :)

[fatalsaint]

I have to be honest.. probably not.

I just don't pay for stuff.. (though I have been known to donate to things..). Not that I'm saying a theme isn't worth $1.. it most surely is, and I would hold no one that released a theme for $1 ill will..

I just wouldn't use it :D.

[jbscurtis]

For a theme I really liked that worked very well $10? For a good program that I could use often up to $100. And if you feel like donating part of your proceeds, then that is your own business. Just make it a finished product that I won't have to keep updating.

[scifi.guy]

If the theme looks cool, yes.

[kamishly]

Yes! Especially if someone could fix and update the itheme in the extra.

It's a beauty, but the virtual keyboard needs fix among few other things. The author is no where to be found:-)

Thanks!

I've been considering using my N900 again and creating some themes to sell on the Ovi store. Before I start please help me determine if its worth my time.

[F2thaK]

I would pay more than $1 if you showed a detailed preview before purchase

And if they are quality themes, such as black plastic, reflect, carbon, array...

[jedi]

So you won't pay developers who work hard in their free time but you will pay a multibillion dollar company for their work?

Totally. I contribute to the open source world - and I do it to make the world a better place, not for financial gain.

I gave dosh to the multibillion dollar company as I wanted some hardware they sold. That's the joy of living in a capitalist world.

[andrewfblack]

I remeber you opened a topic stating that you will update that theme when certain condition is met ( some app u needed to access you email at or something like that) maybe it was another person :)

It was me I really have not use for my N900 anymore since I can't use it at work, no cell service, can't connect to work network due settings I need, and can't teather to cell phones anymore it seems. So I tried to blackmail to get it working but didn't work lol.

[Matan]

It was me I really have not use for my N900 anymore since I can't use it at work, no cell service, can't connect to work network due settings I need, and can't teather to cell phones anymore it seems. So I tried to blackmail to get it working but didn't work lol.

It is possible to tether N900 to another phone. It is not trivial to set up, but possible. You need to install the package bluetooth-dun-client from my repository, and then edit a few text files. Details here: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=37198 and here: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=40157 .

[garyc2010]

5$ for a theme on request sounds fear enough? :)

If so: I'm on!
Got a request for you :)

A theme with my favorite soccer team! :D
(Lovely sentence! :p)

$5 for a theme, are you insane ???

If we are going to go down the road of paying for apps and themes why don't we just buy an iPhone, at least the apps would be of a decent quality.

Surely paying for software/themes goes against all the n900 stands for ??

doesn't it ?

[JorgeFX]

I live in Venezuela and 1$ is A LOT in here. Maybe 3 themes for 1$ better. If I lived in USA, I thinks that I would pay 1$ without problems

[AlMehdi]

Maybe.. if it was something extraordinary. But that kind of work i have not seen anyone done yet. That would include a own made icon theme and background.. cause that is what really makes the look. If you take someone elses work and charge for it. I would be against it.

[joppu]

Inspired by this discussion, I created a PayPal account and added a donation button on my blog. This way people can appreciate my work for free and can support me if they feel so. I'd rather not "force" people into paying since I do this just for fun.

[Wichall]

Inspired by this discussion, I created a PayPal account and added a donation button on my blog. This way people can appreciate my work for free and can support me if they feel so. I'd rather not "force" people into paying since I do this just for fun.
How do I find your blog? :P

[joppu]

How do I find your blog? :P

Heh, if you are so inclined, I added it to my signature.

[skalogre]

$5 for a theme, are you insane ???

If we are going to go down the road of paying for apps and themes why don't we just buy an iPhone, at least the apps would be of a decent quality.

Surely paying for software/themes goes against all the n900 stands for ??

doesn't it ?

That is completely ridiculous. You'll complain about the availability of software et.c. for the handset yet you won't support developers and other creative people that spend their personal time creating such things? How about YOU develop something of "decent quality" like on the iPhone (the hilarity of that statement is something I cannot pass up).
It only goes against it if you think the N900 is about piracy and free software as opposed to both free (as in beer) and paid software.

I will pay more than $1 for a theme, and I have in the past for my S60 handsets.

[gabby131]

a dollar for a maemo theme? why not?

[dana.s]

Paying for a good theme, maybe,
Helping you in technical matters to develop the theme, yes.

[M A S T E R]

Hell yes. I mainly say it like that because i like how the home screen woks with widgets and how the colors can be changed to look really cool including batteries and icons. Very sweet and it reminds me of the N95 8GB i gave to my sister. So yes i would pay 1$ easy as long as they are AT LEAST up to par with the current ones that are available for free but a little more detailed i guess! ^_^

-MASTER

[andrewfblack]

I've seen several people saying that it would have to be quality. The quality would be better then my maemo-org theme that has been downloaded almost 78k times. So that is the quality of the theme I'm talking about.

[spanner]

I've seen several people saying that it would have to be quality. The quality would be better then my maemo-org theme that has been downloaded almost 78k times. So that is the quality of the theme I'm talking about.

I'm not interested in themes, free or paid. But if I was (and 78k downloads says that plenty of people are) then I'd think nothing of paying $1 for a decent one.

[anaskr]

maybe.. If it was something extraordinary. But that kind of work i have not seen anyone done yet. That would include a own made icon theme and background.. Cause that is what really makes the look. If you take someone elses work and charge for it. I would be against it.

:d ..................

[AlMehdi]

:d ..................

Yes? What did you mean with that expression?

[jer006]

Maybe, depends on how good the theme looked.

[Wichall]

Just made my donation to joppu, every one of his themes are brilliant

[Tomaszd]

Considering my Extra Decoders Support package has been downloaded over 215 thousand times and only two people donated a combined sum of 7 EUR, I don't think anyone is willing to pay for themes.

[inidrog]

Yes IF its better than the free ones.

[andrewfblack]

Considering my Extra Decoders Support package has been downloaded over 215 thousand times and only two people donated a combined sum of 7 EUR, I don't think anyone is willing to pay for themes.

The point is almost no one is willing to donate but if you made them pay for it that would in some cases.

[Wichall]

Considering my Extra Decoders Support package has been downloaded over 215 thousand times and only two people donated a combined sum of 7 EUR, I don't think anyone is willing to pay for themes.
Tomaszd, just donated to you, I apologise, I had no idea who even created that package until now...

Maemo.org - downloads needs a serious revamp to be even semi-useful, and integrated with app manager.

But hey, we always have the incredible ovi store for that ;)

Let's hope Meego will bring better integration and more obvious credit to the creators and donation options...

[andrewfblack]

I don't want to really make a new post but of the people willing to buy themes would you prefer Ovi Store, Downloads from my website, or a Subscription Model where you could say pay $12 but be promissed 15+ new themes a year.

[Wichall]

Ovi Store.

[Tomaszd]

Hey, thanks for the dontions, it's 14 EUR now, I'll try keeping the sum up to date in my signature.

I really don't want to make people pay for this package, I don't have the time to explain right now and hijack this thread, maybe later.

[andraeseus1]

if the theme was 3d and had sexy lady extreamities that seem to pop out of the screen every time the light hit it just right then i might.. but umm, so long as i can create my own desktop backgrounds i dont really care if the underlying color tones are blue or orange. this phone is too customizable to pay for themes. i am too creative to buy them

[S0urcerr0r]

Tomaszd:
WOAW!!! thats insane... i feel sorry for you since you have worked with some of the most important projects - and so few donations...
currently i have some economical problems but when i recover from that, i'll donate for sure! :)

[Taigatrommel]

I would also pay for a theme - even more than just a single dollar. Yet a paid theme should be free of errors and the quality should be top notch. Also if there are any problems with it, I'd like to have a rather fast bugfixing service.
Not that for-free themes are substandard quality, but when I get something free of charge I simply can't expect or request anything. The situation on a paid thing is completely different.