As a part-time app developer, I've released a handful of open-source apps to the Maemo Extras repository. But recently, I've been expanding my efforts to other operating systems, and toying with the idea of releasing some commercial, closed-source apps.

While I am fine with the idea of releasing apps open-source, there are just some situations where you cannot operate an app for free. (Case in point, there are no free sources of weather data, so to create a weather app you need to pay someone a regular, ongoing fee.) So, are there any methods left in the Maemo world for distributing an app that requires some form of payment?

maybe there are better options but matters most is payment system ex opera store maybe board can try.

This is a good question, especially in light of Nokia Store closing down.

I don't think there are alternatives for commercial distribution of maemo/meego applications at the moment.

Maybe we can investigate how OpenPandora and other niche-y opensource platforms handle their commercial apps, and see if there are reapplications for the maemo/meego platform.

Also, Symbian AppList (sort of an analog to OpenRepos) has commercial applications. However, I believe those are still linked to Nokia Store for the purposes of payment.

Activation codes!

I took a look at them, but I'm pretty sure none of the major app stores (even the Opera store, now that it is taking over for Nokia) will offer Maemo-compatible repositories.

Hmm. I've always been a fan of Spiderweb Software, which has managed to distribute its games for years now via the "activation code" method. Might be something to try...

Well, I've been to make the thread for months. So I'll hijack yours

Maemo lacks some quality software [1]. A great idea would be to community-found its development, just as it was in the times of MCC.

Or maybe OpenRepos could finally give us a platform for commercial apps?

/edit: cross-posted, creating a new discussion here [2]

[1] http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...60#post1453560
[2] http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...4&goto=newpost

QuasarMX [1][2]is available to users in three versions: Lite, Pro and Pro beta/pre-release. The first level is free with restricted functionality, whilst the latter versions require a payment on the author's website via Paypal.

The Lite version can be found on OpenRepos, while paid versions can be downloaded from the author's servers (authentication is required to access).

I'm not sure what Jolla's intentions to paid software is, if they have nothing concrete, maybe it would be worth approaching them with a proposal for a cross-platform store. If they're not interested, then maybe OpenRepos as others have mentioned. Aaron Seigo and others worked on an open sourced software store called Bodega [3],[4] as part of the doomed Vivaldi project, this could find use here.

[1] http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=81318
[2] https://www.meteorasoftworks.com/quasarmx/buy/
[3] http://aseigo.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10...ticipants.html
[4] http://quickgit.kde.org/?p=bodega-server.git

Is it possible to get each user to register as "developer" and use his own key? Then, due to low number of calls from each "developer-user" to API, each key will be free-of-charge - developer has to pay only when number of calls to API becomes too large.

It may be absurd, because it gives the weather-provider email-and-such of each user. Hence, if you prefer to use a key provided by other person (aka developer of the app), be prepared to pay to the developer as the developer will have to pay to weather-provider for huge number of calls to API going through him.

Thank you. Best wishes.

Loved the Geneforge series! It's pity that it isn't BOTH activation-codes based AND open-sourced (not necessarily GPL), as I would love to have N900 port