Generic Software Alternatives

Jason Fried proposes creating high-quality, one-time purchase software alternatives to subscription-based SaaS products under the brand "Once." The idea challenges the "church of recurring revenue" by letting customers own their software outright, including the source code.

Key Points:

• Core Concept:

  • One-time purchase software that customers own forever
  • Pay hundreds (not thousands) for permanent ownership
  • Get access to source code for modifications
  • Focus on fundamental features without bloat

• First Product - Campfire Chat:

  • Simple team chat tool ($299 one-time fee)
  • Single command line installation
  • Unlimited users
  • 90% of core Slack functionality
  • Basic features: chatting, DMs, @mentions, file sharing

• Business Model Philosophy:

  • Target commoditized software categories
  • Offer high-quality "generic" versions of expensive SaaS tools
  • Keep costs extremely low
  • Focus on profitable sustainability over growth

• Market Position:

  • Alternative to expensive recurring subscriptions
  • For companies tired of endless monthly payments
  • Simple, straightforward tools that just work
  • No forced upgrades or feature bloat

• Future Plans:

  • Expanding to other software categories
  • Next product focused on writing tools
  • Building suite of owned vs rented software options