Open source is hot with loads of pros to it, but what if you aren't motivated to contribute to it but rather have a different motivating like automating your home as much as possible and tech-pimping your car? What would be a better route to follow that will pay off more in the long run.
Forcing yourself to contribute to open source because it is altruistic or going the selfish route and pursuing the home automation?
Cheers guys
Opensource can be selfish.
You can create something missing that YOU want, then release it (retail or no).
There are countless advantages to giving up your "profits" on a side-project.
You don't have to worry about support or litigation. You don't have to worry about paying for the potentially scaling programming needs to get the thing to 1.0.
You can basically put in less time (face it, most side projects never finish anyway) to get more complete. The fan-base alone can help get it to retail-quality.
If you want to spend serious time to create a sellable project, go for it, but in some ways, it's a totally different approach. with different limitations.
You should, for projects you are doing for 'fun' be selfish about it, and here's why:
As a programmer, we like to solve problems. If there aren't any, we create them so that we can solve them. Pet projects are an expression of that.
If you choose to solve someone else's problem, then you won't really know how to fix it. You'll solve problems that you see.
/* This function worked ok, but now it reads from a configuration file that
is written in a custom dialect of Lisp */
If you are solving a problem you have, you'll focus on the solutions that solve your exact need. For instance, you probably wont greenspun your garage door opener until it actually opens mostly right, and also all the lights and thermostats work pretty well too.
Plus, you need at least one user to test it. If you're working on a problem you don't have, then the testing phase will be an obstacle, rather than a new toy for you to play with and show off.
Very few problems you could solve for yourself are really unique to you. Have you looked into other home-automation systems? Will you be able to share your own results once you've got something to show?
My present project is something in-between. I'm working on something that will help my closest friends with something they need.
It's your time. Your side project should be something that you want to work on. And who says that it's an either or. Can’t you create an awesome pimp my ride app or Jetsonise my house app and then open source it? Then, everybody wins, right?