FLARToolKit Licensing Feedback

[MarkB]

Hi All,

As hopefully most of you know FLARToolKit is available under two
license models:

1/ Free GPL license, which requires you to make available the complete
source code of your application to whoever asks for it.

2/ A paid commercial license from ARToolworks which allows you to
develop closed source applications.

This is explained on the main FLARToolKit download site.

For many developers the commercial option is more attractive for their
clients, who don't want to release the source code for their
applications.

Currently ARToolworks provides two license fees, one for a single
project, and an annual multi-project license that allows you to
develop as many projects as you like.

In 2010 we would like to revisit this license model and adjust the
fees to a point that could be more affordable for developers and also
to explore different license models, such as varying fees for
different sized companies, etc.

If you are developing commercial FLARToolKit projects, what do you
think would be a reasonable single project license fee?

What about for an annual fee that would allow you to develop as many
projects as you like?

What other license models do you think we should consider?

Any feedback you can give would be most helpful. Either by direct
email to me, or on the discussion group.

Regards
Mark

Mark Billinghurst
ARToolworks
mark.billinghurst at artoolworks.com
http://www.artoolworks.com/

[Makc]

how about you keep your current high price BUT actually work on
FLARToolKit to improve it? e.g., paying Saqoosha or hiring other
people? not likely going to happen, though, as I seen original
ARToolKit code was essentially frozen for many years.

[MarkB]

Good idea..

I know that Saqoosha is working on new improvement for FLARToolKit (eg
Alchemy version) and we will be working with him to introduce a
natural feature tracking version next year if Flash is fast enough for
it. So there will be updates.

We are making a new release for ARToolKit next year. Although the open
source version of ARToolKit has not been updated since 2007 there have
been updates in the commercial version.

Regards
Mark

[franklin.lyons]

Hi
Just for convenience and reference do you mind posting your current
pricing here.

[Carl Welch]

I need to know pricing as well. I have a project using FLAR due at the
end of the month and was not aware of these requirements until now.
Thanks.

Carl
--
Carl Welch
http://www.carlwelch.com

[Makc]

pricing info was posted to this group before, see
http://groups.google.com/group/flartoolkit-userz/msg/e88a4a9060642a38?hl=en

[MarkB]

Hi Carl,

That's no problem.

The FLARToolKit licensing model (GPL or Commercial options) is
mentioned on the main FLARToolKti download page (http://
www.libspark.org/wiki/saqoosha/FLARToolKit/en), but the FLARToolKit
library can be downloaded from other sources which may not mention
these license conditions.

Currently we offer two commercial license for FLARToolKit, a single
project license for $1295 USD, and an annual multi-project licence for
$6495 USD that allows you to develop as many applications as you like.

However we are interested revisiting this license model this year to
see if the fees are appropriate and if there is a better model that
will enable more people to obtain commercial licenses.

Of course developers have the option of using the free GPL license,
but following the GPL requirements they need to be willing to make the
complete source code of their application available to whoever asks
for it.

A portion of the commercial license fees is returned to Saquoosha and
Nyalta community who helped develop FLARToolKit. As much as possible
we want to recognize them for the efforts they have made and enable
them to keep on adding enhancements to FLARToolKit.

FLARToolKit is currently the only Flash AR software that is available
under both GPL and commercial licenses and we want to keep it that
way.

Any feedback you can give would be most helpful and I'm happy to
answer any other questions.

Regards
Mark

Mark Billinghurst
ARToolworks
mark.billinghurst at artoolworks.com
http://www.artoolworks.com/

On Jan 5, 6:24 am, Carl Welch <carlwelchdes...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I need to know pricing as well. I have a project using FLAR due at the
> end of the month and was not aware of these requirements until now.
> Thanks.
>
> Carl
> --

> Carl Welchhttp://www.carlwelch.com

[franklin.lyons]

Just my opinion but the single project license seems a-bit expensive
for simple website based project where a business would want a novelty
AR app.
In this case I can see someone else developing an app that would allow
anyone to embed a custom marker and file for free and bypass you
altogether.

I would address this problem (I made up) by offering a simple single
embed license for $99 or something to that effect.

Hope this helps.

Franklin

On Jan 5, 4:52 am, MarkB <mark.billinghu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Carl,
>
> That's no problem.
>
> The FLARToolKit licensing model (GPL or Commercial options) is

> mentioned on the main FLARToolKti download page (http://www.libspark.org/wiki/saqoosha/FLARToolKit/en), but the FLARToolKit

> mark.billinghurst at artoolworks.comhttp://www.artoolworks.com/