I started working on a social networking web app using Drupal and finally got it fully working after a lot of hours of effort, tutorial reading, discussions on forums and troubleshooting. While I am customizing this app to specific requirements, I was wondering if people will pay a fee (relatively small) for buying generic (not any business specific) version Drupal based fully functional social networking app. Drupal is an excellent choice as underlaying platform for building Social Networking website as it provides much better user management and a lot more

The features included are -
User profile
Friends list - Searching / Viewing / Adding users as friends (Approve/Reject)
Private messaging (Webmail like)
chat rooms
forums
image galleries
friend tracking
+ all regular stuff (blog, invite a friend, bookmarking, user role administration, etc etc)

I plan to include the documentation, code and sql script, so the site can be brought up in less than 15 mins. Customization and Support will be additional.

What would be decent price to charge for out-of-the-box social networking website.

Comments

johnhanley’s picture

Legally you're not suppose to be selling the software itself, but rather your services to implement and customize it.

"Social networking" means different things to different people so putting together a one-size-fits-all starter kit is tricky at best. You'd be better using what you've assembled as a basis for starting each new social network related project and giving customers an al la carte list of features to include/exclude.

seanreiser’s picture

Actually, Drupal is GPLd you can sell it if you wish. From the Licensing FAQ:

9: Is it permitted for me to sell Drupal or a Drupal module or a Drupal theme?
Yes. However, you must distribute it under the GPL version 2 or later, so those you sell it to must be allowed to modify and redistribute it as well. See questions 6 and 7 above.

johnhanley’s picture

Perhaps a better way of looking at it is as you said, "Charging for GPLd software is generally not something people embrace." In other words selling GPLd software is widely considered sleazy.

seanreiser’s picture

Actually I'd either think about building out a platform to host social networks or think of charging for support instead of for the platform. Charging for GPLd software is generally not something people embrace.

NewZeal’s picture

The first person who buys it can contribute the module back to the community, look for maintainers and it then carries on in the public sphere, so it's not really worth trying to sell it.

You can make a much better return on your work by contributing the module and being the maintainer. If it's a good module your page will get a lot of hits and link juice and you will get more projects. As the expert on this module you will be able to modify it for clients far more efficiently than a newbie and people will be coming to your first, because you made it.

Also, the service module is much more in the spirit of Drupal. We don't want to be like 'other' Open Source projects, now do we?

istryker’s picture

You can make a much better return on your work by contributing the module and being the maintainer. If it's a good module your page will get a lot of hits and link juice and you will get more projects. As the expert on this module you will be able to modify it for clients far more efficiently than a newbie and people will be coming to your first, because you made it.

I agree. I see you have 2 options. Create something like RedHat for Linux or create a module with a separate site supporting it. This way you'll make money from advertisement and clients who land on your site, looking for someone to build them a customed social network site will pay you $$$ to do it

rupearso’s picture

be interesting to see what's been done

summit’s picture

me too, greetings Martijn

strands’s picture

Subscribing