MNteractive.com

This is the second week of WBEZ’s membership pledge drive (Yes, I’m a member, you should be too.) Their pleas for memberships and pleges got me thinking about their revenue model. It’s definitely not a bad one. While I’m happy to pay WBEZ a couple times a year I grumble about the annual costs of my relationship with AT&T and Ameritech.

Now, move this into the software world. People grumble about for profit publishers like Microsoft and Intuit. And those same people are happy to compensate a valueable shareware publisher.

Sounds to me like NPR is shareware. To explore this metaphor further, I’m on a quest for shareware that offers free mugs and requests you to donate more than once a year.

Thanks for your support.