Jophrium (Jovelyst + Freemium) is an open source tool used to build freemium websites, and is implemented in Java. The freemium business model means most users pay nothing (for free) and a smaller number of subscribers pay fees in order to access premium features. Javrium is a sister tool, also open source, in which freemium websites are coded in Java.
- Makes use of 2 new open source web programming languages: Jovelyst and Lystagger
- Jovelyst is similar to Python (all the freemium websites are coded in Jovelyst)
- Lystagger is similar to HTML
- Assume that a given freemium website is called "mysite"
- Domain name: mysite.jophr.net
- Sample open source freemium websites:
- jophspace.jophr.net: virtual spaces for marginalized communities
- jophpic.jophr.net: organize/share image folders
- jophnet.jophr.net: social network website
- jophteach.jophr.net: links tutors with students
- jophboard.jophr.net: make your own 2-player board games
- Jophteach and Jophboard are written up under Jophspace
- Subscribers pay $20/year (gold) or $12.50/year (silver)
- Silver members can only join at most 2 freemium websites at once, and can only switch websites once a week
- Gold members are members of all freemium websites
- Calculation of website resources consumed:
- Let W = (no. of image file megabytes served) x (no. of kilo-nodes created)
- Nodes are 12-byte chunks of RAM
- Summed up for all users of a given website in one month
- Let H = cost of web hosting
- Websites where W is less than twice the median M are free: H = 0
- H = for W between 2 and 4 times M = $10/mo.
- W between 4 and 8 times M = $15/mo.
- W between 8 and 16 times M = $25/mo.
- W between 16 and 32 times M = $40/mo.
- W greater than 32,768 times M = $300/mo.
- W greater than 100,000 times M: website speed is throttled
- Every paying website gets a rebate (part of subscription fee revenue = F) proportionate to HR where R = A / B and A is less than or equal to B
- All rebates add up to F
- A = W for non-members only and
- B = W for members only or vice versa
- Purpose of R = A / B: motivate developers to create balanced websites, where population sizes of members and non-members are as equal as possible
- Allow financial transactions between developers and end-users using credit cards/PayPal
- Don't charge transaction fees
- No freemium website is allowed to directly compete with any of the 5 sample websites
- Transaction disputes (cheating):
- Developer accused of cheating by 3 or more unique users in 90 days or less
- User accused of cheating by 2 or more unique developers in 180 days or less
- User/developer gets F rating for 2 years (allowed to appeal)
- Any Lystagger web page can have a corresponding HTML web page which contains converted HTML code and a link to its Lystagger page
factor = W / M | monthly fee = H | W / M | H | W / M | H |
2 | $10 | 64 | $80 | 2048 | $200 |
4 | 15 | 128 | 100 | 4096 | 225 |
8 | 25 | 256 | 125 | 8192 | 250 |
16 | 40 | 512 | 150 | 16,384 | 275 |
32 | 60 | 1024 | 175 | >32,768 | 300 |
Revenue and Expenses
- Let Q = no. of freemium projects
- Assume Q = 20
- Let q = no. of freemium projects who pay hosting fees
- Assume q = Q x 30 percent = 6
- Let s = no. of silver members/project
- Assume s = 20
- Divide by 2, assuming each silver member belongs to 2 projects
- Then no. of silver members = Qs / 2 = 20 x 20 / 2 = 200
- Assume user conversion rate = 5 percent
- Let U = no. of users
- Then U = 200 / 5 percent = 4000
- F = subscription fees total = 200 x 12.5 = $2500/year
- Let H = web hosting fees total
- Let h = avg. hosting fee per project per month
- Assume h = $20
- H = 12qh = 12 x 6 x 20 = $1440/year
- Let N = net amt. paid to each project
- Then N = (F - H) / q
- N = (2500 - 1440) / 6
- N = $177/year
- Let N = (KF - H) / q
- Assume N = 0
- H = KF
- K = H / F
- K = 1440 / 2500 = 58 percent
- Let V = revenue
- V = F - H
- V = 2500 - 1440 = $1060/year
- Assume Q = 100
- Assume q = Q x 30 percent = 30
- Assume s = 40
- Divide by 2, assuming each silver member belongs to 2 projects
- Then no. of silver members = Qs / 2 = 100 x 40 / 2 = 2000
- Assume user conversion rate = 5 percent
- Let U = no. of users
- Then U = 2000 / 5 percent = 40,000
- F = subscription fees total = 2000 x 12.5 = $25,000/year
- Assume h = $20/month
- H = 12qh = 12 x 30 x 20 = $7200/year
- Let N = (KF - H) / q
- Assume N = 0
- K = H / F = 7200 / 25,000 = 29 percent
- V = F - H = 25,000 - 7200 = $17,800/year
- Let E = expenses
- E = Google AdWords cost + web hosting
- E = 3600 + 7500 = $11,100/year
- Let P = profit
- P = V - E
- P = 17,800 - 11,100 = $6700/year
Implementation Steps
- Read Murach's Java Servlets and JSP book
- Implement Jabbler: web-based HTML5 Scrabble game, user vs. robot
- Jabbler is currently console-based Java Scrabble game
- Write basic Lystagger design specs
- Implement Jovelyst 0.1, console-based
- Token parsing and building program tree has already been implemented
- Finish Jovelyst 1.0, console-based
- Write advanced Lystagger design specs
- Implement LSTG-to-HTML converter
- Implement monospace mode
- Implement rich-text mode
- Integrate Jovelyst with Lystagger (monospace/rich-text modes)
- Implement LYST-to-JS converter
- Recruit GitHub open source coders/testers
- Approach Progress Place
- Implement Jophspace
- Design non-commercial (free) website
- Launch website
- Beta test Jophspace
- Implement Jophrium
- Beta test Jophrium
- Implement Jabbler: web-based, 2-player
- Implement monospace mode, dual user
- Implement rich-text mode, dual user
- Implement volunteer Jophteach
- Beta test volunteer Jophteach
- Implement paid Jophteach
- Implement Jophboard
- Integrate Jabbler as first Java-based sample board game
- WYSIWYG board/piece editor
- Codeless prototyping system
- Beta test
- Implement Jovelyst code editor
- Integrate with board editor/prototyping system
- Implement Jophpic
- Design commercial website
- Launch commercial website
- Beta test Jophpic
- Beta test paid Jophteach
- Accept credit card payments
- Implement Jophnet
- Beta test Jophnet
- Hire Java programmer with expertise in making websites scalable
- Hire translators to internationalize Jophrium
About Me
I am Mike Hahn, the founder of Jophrium.com. I was previously employed at Brooklyn Computer Systems as a Delphi Programmer and a Technical Writer (I worked there between 1996 and 2013). At the end of 2014 I quit my job as a volunteer tutor at Fred Victor on Tuesday afternoons, where for 5 years I taught math, computers, and literacy. I'm now a volunteer math/computer tutor at West Neighbourhood House. My hobbies are reading quora.com questions/answers and the news at cbc.ca. About twice a year I get together with my sister Cathy who lives in Victoria. She comes here or I go out there usually in the summer. A few months prior to starting my Jophrium project I used to lie on the couch a lot, not being very active. Now I'm busy most of the time. I visit my brother Dave once a month or so and I also visit my friends Main and Steph once or twice a month.
Contact Info
Mike Hahn
Founder
Jophrium.com
2495 Dundas St. West
Ste. 515
Toronto, ON M6P 1X4
Canada
Phone: 416-533-4417
Email: hahnbytes (AT) gmail (DOT) com
Web: www.hahnbytes.com