==================
Business model
==================

A business model describes how you plan to make money [#bm1]_. Here is the
suggested business model for the :ref:`lsf`.

Income
======

- Membership fees from :term:`site operators <site operator>` (see
  :doc:`membership`).

- Sales of :term:`developer support` to :term:`application developers
  <application developer>`.

- Collect public funding for projects of public interest.

Expenses
========

The :ref:`lsf` uses their income for the following activities.

- Employ one or several :term:`developers <developer>` and run a team
  responsible for development and maintenance of the framework.
  Optionally delegate this task to a third-party :term:`development provider`.

- Employ administrative personnel for management tasks and public relations.

- Operate one or several :term:`Lino sites <Lino site>` required as an
  infrastructure for their work.

- Distribute donations to underlying free software projects.

- Refund costs for training, meeting or travelling to their members or
  employees.




.. rubric:: Footnotes

.. [#bm1] See `The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story Paperback
   <https://www.amazon.com/The-New-Thing-Silicon-Valley/dp/0393347818>`__
   by Michael Lewis  (January 2014)
   (via `What Is a Business Model? <https://hbr.org/2015/01/what-is-a-business-model>`__).