Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by JonChesterfield 838 days ago
I'm still looking for a "search", but have already found the link to add my adverts to the site via email, with nice form set up with subject "Advertise on OpenAlternative". So I'd say that's probably the game plan here.
1 comments
colesantiago 838 days ago
That's unfortunate, so it looks like OpenAlternative will also succumb to the same fate of other alternative software sites.

More ads.

link
chrismarlow9 838 days ago
Do you have an alternative source of revenue to suggest? It might be good to catch the site owner early while it's still small to get your suggestion in.

I mean if they're making direct deals with other businesses instead of just throwing up AdSense I don't really see the problem.

link
JonChesterfield 838 days ago
What's the running cost of a static html page? If it's below $10 for the life of the site, maybe it doesn't need a revenue stream.
link
nindalf 838 days ago
Honestly, a static site that accepted pull requests would cost nothing. Free code hosting on GitHub and page hosting on GitHub Pages or Cloudflare Pages. Literally $0, forever.

It does take time and effort to review pull requests, but there are no $ costs involved.

link
JonChesterfield 838 days ago
On the other hand that's a really easy way to handle the community updating the listing. Generate a static page from text files, use PRs to add entries to the text files.
link
squarefoot 838 days ago
Making advertising very specific, small, essential and not obtrusive, for example restricting ads on each products only to businesses offering services related to that product, I mean not a similar product but that exact one. Imagine searching for a software or library that does X, then on the product/project page there's a small area showing someone/some company offering services (install, customization, maintenance, etc) for the very same product: one per line, no unnecessary graphics or animation, just plain old links, complete with verified customers feedback. I'm sure, albeit not perfect, this would reassure many potential users, including companies, concerned abut the bus factor or other similar problems that sometime discourage the use of Open Source software.
link
colesantiago 838 days ago
Many sites like Open Alternative do just well with asking for donations and patreon.
link