# Discussion: Group development of OnLine Tee Shirt Design Software?



## IYFGraphics (Sep 28, 2009)

Hey Gang,

As the title states "online tee shirt design software"

I don't know if this is a new idea or is even possible but it occurred to me that a lot of us would like a great on-line tee shirt design tool to add to our web sites, there are a few out there that are really nice but pricey (you get what you pay for most of the time) others that require you to pay monthly and so on.

My idea......since there are a ton of us here that are in the same boat wanting a low cost tee shirt designer with tons of features that can be integrated and customized to fit with our sites both present and future. So the idea is (if it's possible!) that we form a group of people interested in such software, hire a coder to create the software, and spread the cost of having the software created between the members of the group.

I know it would be more complicated than that, lots of issues to consider like who actually owns the software, what features, type of sites it could be used on, lots of variables.....but the premise of the idea...

So the first question is......is it doable?

Second question would be...If it is doable.....who would be interested?

Third question....if doable....what about new people who want the software that were not part of the original group?

I know there are tons of questions, but how about a discussion of why it would work or why it won't work. 

Have at it!


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> I know there are tons of questions, but how about a discussion of why it would work or why it won't work.


It's an interesting idea to use the power of collaboration to make it happen.

One of the issues I see is "features". Each person has a different business and business need. Some are DTG printers, some are embroidery, some do screen printing, some only do heat transfers...some do it all.

What each person/business wants out of the software is likely going to be very different than the next person (with a few possible overlaps).

I think that's one reason why people haven't adopted one of the "online designers" as a general _favorite_. What works for me, may not work for you.

By adding features that meet *everyones* needs, it can severely increase the scope of the project and maybe even over bloat it for others that may not need the same bells and whistles. Bigger scope/features = more money.



> Third question....if doable....what about new people who want the software that were not part of the original group?


Almost sounds like you'd need to form a company in order for that new company to own the rights to it and to correctly distribute any profits from the sale of licenses of the software.



> So the first question is......is it doable?


Possibly, but it seems like it could be a challenging project. When money gets involved, things can get very complicated very fast. Things that start out friendly with the best intentions can get ugly quickly if someone feels things aren't moving fast enough or if they feel their expectations aren't being met. 

*Maybe you could start out by posting a specific list of features that *you* need* and see if anybody knows of existing software that might meet those needs. If not, then you could also see if anybody else needs those exact features which would make collaboration easier?


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## IYFGraphics (Sep 28, 2009)

Rodney said:


> It's an interesting idea to use the power of collaboration to make it happen.
> 
> *Maybe you could start out by posting a specific list of features that *you* need* and see if anybody knows of existing software that might meet those needs. If not, then you could also see if anybody else needs those exact features which would make collaboration easier?


Thanks Rodney,

We have compiled a list of wants and needs for our company that most of the existing software would cover, but the idea of a monthly charge or thousands of dollars in cost has for us put the purchase on the back burner for now....we are still in the site development stage and while printing the other day this idea came to me of a co-op to have the software developed, if enough people were interested in the idea.

Just curious as to what others thought of the idea, and I know what you mean about the money aspect it _*always *_changes things! LOL


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