class: center, middle # The FOSS Operating System business ## What I have learnt so far  --- # A bit about me <img src="images/800px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png" width="100" /> <img src="images/800px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png" width="100" /> <img src="images/800px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" width="100" /> <img src="images/800px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png" width="100" /> 1. Care about doing small business, my own business 2. Archlinux user 3. Scratched an itch 4. Eeking out a living doing this for the last two years full time <img src="images/org.png" /> <img src="images/com.png" /> --- # A bit about you <img src="images/800px-Flag_of_Cambodia.svg.png" width="200" /> * You are Cambodian or an expat like me? * You use Linux on your laptop * You are very fluent in English * You are passionate * Take what I say with a pinch of salt * Willing to learn new (and old) things * Not afraid of becoming an all rounder --- background-image: url(images/cafe.jpg) class: inverse # Why Webconverger? <img src="images/800px-Flag_of_South_Korea.svg.png" width="100" /> * How Webconverger came into being # What's the problem ? * Difficult to deploy * Difficult to secure * Difficult to manage --- # Heard of the Unix philosophy? Get a philosophy! * http://suckless.org/philosophy ← bit long # Rant about distros <img src="images/debian.png" /> * Too general * Not solving a single problem * Packaging is a mess --- # How to make <strike>operating systems</strike> software that does not SUCK <img src="images/Git-Logo-2Color.png" width="400" /> * Use git - learn it already * Use gitfs - make sure it can update and BONUS even roll back * Keep it simple - start small, iterate fast --- # Have a coarse grained API * Don't be a puppet * Make it simple for your users to achieve their goals * Get rid of complexity ## Maybe leverage a Web API? <img src=//config.webconverger.com/faq/control-panel-sm.png> --- # How Webconverger makes money * Express the option for payment * Subscriptions not licenses * With one time [pricing](http://www.webconverger.com/pricing/) # A fool says: But it's OSS, you can't sell OSS * Our OS is free as in freedom * Our control panel is not free, you pay for it * Your (configuration) data is your own * Our customer service is something you pay for --- # What stops you and I from making money * Barriers to entry * OOXML * Non-Web garbage * Distribution * Closed hardware * Difficult to port to hardware * Monopolies * Intel * Google * Facebook * Apple * Payment services * Consultancy temptations --- # The future * Operating systems aren't going out of fashion * CoreOS + Docker * ARM * sta.li # Always bet on the Web <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="100" height="100" viewBox="0 0 100 100"> <circle cx="50" cy="50" r="45" fill="white" stroke="#3c790a" stroke-width="10"/> <path d="M38,38c0-12,24-15,23-2c0,9-16,13-16,23v7h11v-4c0-9,17-12,17-27c-2-22-45-22-45,3zM45,70h11v11h-11z" fill="#3c790a"/> </svg> Please focus on Web technologies, the only sane open platform there is --- # Questions ? * "Kai Hendry" on any Web search engine * hendry@webconverger.com * Managing Director Webconverger * \#webconverger on Freenode IRC * @kaihendry on twitter * http://hendry.iki.fi * github: https://github.com/kaihendry * Don't friend me on Facebook