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Reach out to your community of users...

I can't find a reasonable explanation on why software companies won't open themselves, and seek to use the experience or expertise of the people that form the community of users.

They are losing more than what they could be winning by keeping them out. Not only on profits, but most importantly on expertise that they could tap on to make breakthroughs that are difficult to get from people working in the company itself.

Mainly because people on the outside have a different view, and can bring it to the table. Users can see things than developers inside can't, since users have a completely different viewpoint. From it, they can see things that insiders can't just because they are in a position to actually see that part of the work flow.

Not interacting with the communities that use your software can lead you too loose vital insight on how to better develop it. Instead of trying to cut people from making any change to the software, be the one who leads those efforts and make them be done in a way that's useful for the whole community of users.

If you do so, then you can focus on the core functionalities of the software while making it more safe and robust. Be the one that sets the standards of what it takes to develop add ons or build capabilities that you are not interested or the majority of the users don't want to have.

If you do, you'll find that the resources of your company will be used more efficiently. And the community that builds around you, will take care of those things that you can't take care off for whatever reason.

Done right, it's a win-win solution.

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