I´m working on quite a few Open Source projects and would like to move their build scripts from NAnt etc. to FinalBuilder. Unfortunately this would mean any other developer also needs the full FB version to just build the sources.
Although I wish more shops would use FB I understand it would be a quite high hurdle for Open Source projects to require its purchase.
That´s why I suggest to release FBCmd as a free community edition of FB. Then users of Open Source could at least execute FB scripts. For editing them they´d still need to buy FB.
We have looked at this in the past. The problem is, an FB project is an xml file, what’s to stop people editing the file themselves, like they already do for nant etc. We though about a version that would only execute encypted project files (for which you would need FB to edit), however the few open source people we spoke to indicated they wouldn’t used it if they couldn’t edit it. There is also the concern of customers buying just one copy and then use the community edition for everyone else.
At the end of the day we are a business, and I have wages to pay, and anything that would risk decreasing sales isn’t going to happen. Yes, I know it might also increase sales, but that’s a big might to risk my business and employees jobs on.