Most of this post tracks my experience and is roughly, true for cross platform or Windows development. Shareware predates app stores.
(Though most shareware authors don't call themselves shareware authors anymore, since distribution techniques have changed and the word never helped sell software.)
Do you know any desktop applications, be it cross-platform or single OS, that were made independently (not by a company), bootstrapped and are now profitable? As far as I know Paint.net was made by one person and it's now his full-time job, but it's dependant on donations and I'm more interested in a "traditional" business model.
I know a few dozen apps that fit that bill. Bingo Card Creator started as a cross-platform desktop app (that was my only product from 2006 through 2009, when I released the online version). It was bootstrapped and was/is profitable.
A few others off the top of my head: Perfect Table Plan, Poker CoPilot, Mixed In Key, Balsamiq Mockups (though that eventually turned into "a company"), etc. You'll note that BCC doesn't belong in the same league with any of the above.
Most of this post tracks my experience and is roughly, true for cross platform or Windows development. Shareware predates app stores.
(Though most shareware authors don't call themselves shareware authors anymore, since distribution techniques have changed and the word never helped sell software.)