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On 8/28/2012 9:58 AM, Axel Grude wrote:<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:503CF8B0.2050704@gmail.com" type="cite">
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<div id="smartTemplate4-template"><i>Garrafrauns, 28 August 2012
17:52:27, week 35 </i> <br>
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Like already mentioned early on today's meeting I would be really
interested in using Mozilla Marketplace for my Thunderbird
extensions. to be honest when I heard of Marketplace first I
thought this would be a monetization (and promoting) platform for
_all_ Mozilla extensions, and maybe a good opportunity to break
into new markets. When I looked at Marketplace first it felt much
more like something that is specialized in mobile apps only, so I
am not too sure whether it is relevant. <br>
</blockquote>
I went through the identical process - at first I was hoping that it
would offer a path to commercialization of addons, but what I see
now does not seem to offer that.<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:503CF8B0.2050704@gmail.com" type="cite"> <br>
One of the major deterrents for commercializing extensions is the
high maintenance of user registration processes, so I was hoping
that Marketplace might offer a solution for this in the future. Do
create something like this "from scratch" is out of scope for most
Tb extension developers (as the market is much smaller than that
of browser users)<br>
</blockquote>
I haven't implemented something like this yet, but I googled the
issue a year or so ago and I found lots of people who have services
available for managing the online software sales process, so I don't
think that the issue is as large as you think it is. Note there is
at least one paid app already on AMO for Thunderbird (the SugarCRM
integration pro version).<br>
<br>
The advantage of a "Marketplace" goes beyond registration management
and includes integral management of the addon promotion, as well as
a "tax" that is fed back to the parent company for support of the
core product. Since promotion is basically done now "for free" in
AMO, and issues of the Thunderbird business model appear to be a
private, internal Mozilla issue, I don't really see what the point
would be of discussing a Thunderbird-only Marketplace.<br>
<br>
(Note that the Mozilla Marketplace applies a tax of 30%, a policy
which I am completely in agreement with for support of the Apps
infrastructure - but I would not want to pay the same tax if if does
not more directly help Thunderbird.).<br>
<br>
rkent<br>
<br>
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