Open Source Web Browser

How do developers make money from free or open source software?

I'm talking about good applications or web-based software like CMSs - how do they make money if the item is free or open source... How do they stop people ripping them off or taking the project in the wrong direction? what license should I get to make the most out of something I hope to write?

Public Comments

1. A few ways an single developer or team of developers can make money of a GPL or GNU license is by offering support on the software, charging for upgrades, getting hired for other work once your free software gets known. Also, the author can still charge for the software even though it is open source and free. If you are looking for the best free make money guide, try this site http://free-make-money-guide.blogspot.com/
2. You might make money with advertising, particularly for Web-based software. You might also offer to install some other product, like a Yahoo toolbar, as part of the installation of yours. You'd have a chance of getting money from Yahoo for that. Of course, they'll only be interested if the app is good and will get a lot of traffic. If your primary interest is in making money from what you write, then maybe you shouldn't make it open source. Offer a free trial period and then charge for it. The main goal of open source is to open it up to a community of programmers to help make the program better. Not a lot of open source programs make a lot of money themselves.
3. donations, ads, side jobs...