Related: The NSF did provide funding which I used to support SageMathCloud during the last two years. When I applied for the funding, I hadn't started SMC, so the NSF grants weren't actually for SMC.
Hi, William;
Couple-few things:
* I've been using the SMC a decent amount, and it occurs to me that I've never seen an 'ask' for contributions or a subscription.
* On that note, I just went to sign up for a subscription because it's ghastly that I haven't. The 'upgrades' tab just says that I should 'Sign up for a subscription in the billing tab', and the billing tab only asks for a credit card number. The subscription page should probably pitch a few benefits of subscription, with an easy click from a given subscription to the billing page.
* I've used SMC for writing a couple collaborative papers, and have found it fantastic for that. Checkpointed latex with easy access to Sage code is great for collaboration, far better than subversion or (shudder) dropbox. I wonder if there might be good ways to build that userbase a bit: Perhaps some interesting collaboration with the arxiv? Transparent checks for arxiv compatibility as you're building your document? Link 'public code' and data sets in an SMC project on the arxiv side?
What I'm trying to get at, though, is that it may be worthwhile to try to make some high-profile connections which can increase the userbase. Building the paying userbase is the important part right now.
Making it easier/better for people to get their papers on the arxiv would be fantastic, and bring in more users. If the arxiv is bought into the effort, it gets SMC more visibility, bringing in more users than just making the features available. Now, the arxiv is extremely conservative by design, so this isn't an easy partnership to make, but it's a pretty obvious one to try in terms of getting a bigger SMC userbase.
But really, the important part is trying to bring in as large a flock of paying users as possible, for a minimum amount of effort. Maybe this is undergraduate students, maybe it's individual researchers (like me) signing up for subscriptions, and maybe it's university math/cs/physics departments signing up for big subscriptions. I know a couple departments that are running their own servers which might be able to save a decent chunk of money by moving to SMC, for example. But it requires some outreach work to get in touch with them, and some bargaining to get them to switch models.
Great ideas -- thanks for spelling them out in more detail. Do you know anybody who runs arxiv? I wouldn't know how to get started with making such a connection (if you think of anything, feel free to email wstein@sagemath.com). However, it's something I had not considered before, and if an opportunities arise, I'll be more ready now (such opportunities aren't unlikely; e.g., I always run a Sage booth at the huge joint math meetings, which can lead to such things).
The market and strategy you describe at the bottom is exactly what I've been pursuing, and I hope we turn a corner with it soon due to the new academic year.
