should i start a company to sell the my software product? what other requirements are needed?

Question

I want to develop a small product say in .net. My understanding is that
1. I should have a licensed copy of .net.
2. Develop the product and sell it through a website.
My doubts are 1. As an individual can i do this or should i register a company. 2. How do i register the trademark for the product as an individual.
Any suggestion will be highly appreciated.

Answer 1

You've got a couple of different issues here; let's tackle them one at a time

Starting a Software Development Business:

The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.

I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.

Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* The Business of Software: What Every Manager, Programmer, and Entrepreneur Must Know to Thrive and Survive in Good Times and Bad by Michael A. Cusumano
* Software That Sells: A Practical Guide to Developing and Marketing Your Software Project by Edward Hasted
* Start Your Own Software Company: A Step-By-Step Guide to Setting Up a Computer Software Business by David J. Cracas
* Web & Software Development: A Legal Guide by Stephen Fishman

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.

Trademarks:

To register a trademark, that's done either through your Secretary of State for a State trademark or the US Patent & Trademark Office for a Federal trademark.

If you are only conducting business in one state, then a State trademark is most appropriate. If you conduct (OR are planning to conduct) business in at least 2 states OR between the US & any other country, you can file for a Federal trademark.

Prior to investing your time, money & effort into a name, it is strongly advised that comprehensive research be conducted to ensure that the name you're interested in is truly available.

This entails searching the pending & registered Federal and State trademark files as well as the US National Common-Law files. Then, if clear, you can decide if you would like to file for a Federal or a State trademark.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 2

I believe Microsoft distributes the .NET SDK free of charge and you can use that to develop your application. However, these tools are command line only. There are several versions of Visual Studio ranging from free to outrageously expensive and you can use that if you prefer to use an IDE. Be sure to read the EULA because as far as I know there are some limitations on the free Express version.

You may also want to check out SharpDevelop. It is an open source .NET IDE. The Mono project may also be worth taking a look at if you'd like to avoid any software licensing nastiness. It is an open source .NET implementation. Last time I checked it was pretty far along and quite usable for production quality applications. It also has the benefit of being multi-platform, unlike Microsoft's implementation.

As far as creating a company I think it varies from state to state so check your state's official site for more information. A trademark can be registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

For more information on starting a software company you may want to check out a few micro ISV blogs. There are quite a few people who have done what you're proposing and you may be able to glean some useful information from their experience.

Answer 3

attempt to make it sort of feels as though the product is going to alter the customer's life. no count number what you're advertising, appealing to the non-public side consistently works. no count number if that's cleansing soap to bathe the floor, say that this cleansing soap gets your flooring so sparkling that your loved ones would be waiting to consume off of them.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Yes. It is easier than you might think to go into business for yourself. Here is a very good resource for you to check out when considering starting your own business:

http://www.stevepavlina.com/