I don't know if it's necessarily something you're overlooking, but the Diaspora situation likely had something of a cooling effect (as opposed to a chilling eff

I don't know if it's necessarily something you're overlooking, but the Diaspora situation likely had something of a cooling effect (as opposed to a chilling effect) on funding software projects through sites like Kickstarter. They sucked up gobs of money and have so far woefully under-delivered. I've kicked a few bucks (or more) at a project or two through Kickstarter and similar sites (the recent $500 3D printer drive on IndieGoGo [0], for example, and somewhat apropos the linked project), but always with the expectation of receiving something tangible, even if it's just a t-shirt or the like. Most likely, the thing keeping people from doing it more is the lack of successful examples. If a project or two can get funded, and deliver, the model would probably take off beyond anyone's expectations. Until then, though, the only example I can think of is Diaspora, and that's left a pretty bad taste in a lot of peoples' mouths. [0] http://www.indiegogo.com/eMAKER-Huxley-3D-printer-kits http://www.indiegogo.com/eMAKER-Huxley-3D-printer-kits