I think you’re on to something there. Most software available today merely does what free software already does, but with specific marketing to make it seem like something people need. For example, all of the below software categories are easily handled with either the software bundled with your operating system or a simple open source download:
- budgeting
- to do / productivity
- book / music / video game / etc. media cataloging
- project planning
- event planning
- file storage
- etc
When someone remarked once that most SaaS products are a front end to a spreadsheet, I just thought, “they’re not wrong.”
Now if people had computer literacy they wouldn’t pay $20 a month for a service their computer already does.
I think what’s truly missing is that all those apps don’t make sharing easy, and operating systems all suck at sharing, or when they’re ok at it (airdrop), it’s limited to nearby people, or not across OSes, etc.
Almost all SaaS are about easy cross-device, cross-internet, sharing, which all traditional apps don’t even try to be good at.
I agree that's a valid point and it totally makes sense why people pay for certain things. I'd also observe that SyncThing* obviates it, again for free, but more people would have to know about it and use it.
- budgeting
- to do / productivity
- book / music / video game / etc. media cataloging
- project planning
- event planning
- file storage
- etc
When someone remarked once that most SaaS products are a front end to a spreadsheet, I just thought, “they’re not wrong.”
Now if people had computer literacy they wouldn’t pay $20 a month for a service their computer already does.