"I'm thinking of starting a (ahem) 'home software company'. Should I look for a distributor to carry my games through shareware stores or compilation CDs, or just self-publish on the Web?"

Submitted by: Cheerio

Answered by: Jeff Vogel (founder/designer, Spiderweb Software)

"Packaged software is an incredibly difficult market to break into right now. You either need to write the greatest game ever (paradigm shifting like Doom was) or write something so great that it seems easily on par with what's already selling well. Do a little research. Shrinkwrapped computer games are a bloody, bloody market right now.

"But that's also where the money is. You want to get really rich? That's where you gotta go.

"Alternately, in shareware, you can make a living, but not a killing. Make sure that, whatever you write, it's good enough that people will pay you for it. That's cardinal rule one. Then work hard to market it and make sure people notice it. That's cardinal rule two.

"If you make a solid product and push it, you can end up like me. Not famous. Not a millionaire. But very well off and very happy."

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