Re: [linux-audio-dev] donations or sponsoring?

Leonard Ritter wrote:

> How is a beginning open source project funded, usually?

great goodness of heart and an ex-employer who lets you "keep the keys"
- minimizing unnecessary accessories (shaving-kit, vacuum-cleaner, etc)
helps a lot ;-)

open-source coding is an Art not an Industry. - unless you want to sell
support or merchandise, I recommend to get similar funding as Artists.

Alas, most open-source code is [considered] craftsmanship not Art and it
sells as such. - now compare it to music-business: it's a pitiful career
unless (and even) if you're at the TOP; - ..usual exceptions..

a "donation" button to sell improvement-on-request seems the best
option. If you get annoyed/broke: show it:
donation-progress-splash-screen, change the default-app background to a
picture of your fridge if a user has not made a donation for a month,
etc...

> There is no dependency between you and your users, meaning that the
> choices you make might not necessarily be choices embraced by the
> community. Again, there is no contract, just a requirement of
> trust.

that's a feature not e bug :) - I did not yet read your BLOG - but maybe
you're looking for a shareware-license instead of GPL. It would be a
pity though. open-source 2007: "erst kommt das Fressen, dann kommt die
Moral" - You can certainly sell "coding services" to a community or
individuals and make a binding contract under GPL.

Is this an issue that the linux-audio-consortion could address?
-> set up a foundation to pay developers on project basis.
(much like sourceforge donations - but first we need a wiki, blog, forum
and project-MS :) )

robin

PS. facts-from-a-parallel-universe: Vincent cut off his ear after 3days
of debugging his rendering code.
Received on Tue Feb 6 16:15:02 2007