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To companies using my open source projects: please donate $550 then go on a $1m marketing blitz telling everyone about it. I don’t care how you spend your money

by oefrha 4y ago

To companies using my open source projects: please donate $550 then go on a $1m marketing blitz telling everyone about it. I don’t care how you spend your money outside your donation. Now, this is a pseudonymous account so you obviously don’t know whether you use my projects. Just donate to whatever you use. To expand: I see grandstanding all the time. I see precious little money flowing into my PayPal tip jar. Casual users of my completely free web services have been a lot more generous than companies/developers using my open source libraries/tools. I’m completely fine with the lack of donations, but that certainly makes all the grandstanding from stingy people who don’t give a dime very annoying.

infinitezest 4y ago
How do you know the people that are grandstanding are the same people that are stingy?
- oefrha 4y ago
  There’s no way to know for sure. And there must be outliers. But 1. From my observation, donors tend to appreciate other donors a bit more. 2. I’ve confronted a few of these people in the past. When asked how much they donated, the answer was always I don’t donate because excuses X, Y, Z. But rich companies/people must donate more; they’re all PR stunts; blah blah.
  - blagie 4y ago
    1. As one of "these people," I would encourage you to watch this video on the neurology of hate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeZ3_OtDa7E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeZ3_OtDa7E 2. I only work on open source. My income is at most half of what it would be if I worked on proprietary software. I do donate to other projects, and I do appreciate (serious) donors. I've never gotten (or asked for) tips, but I've gotten one or two donations big enough to make a difference. 3. I would also encourage you to read about how con artists (and marketers) manipulate people by generate reciprocity: - Someone on the street hands you a "free" pamphlet / flower / etc. and asks for a donation. - Thought leaders are sent a free product - Managers / executives are wined and dined just below what conflict-of-interest laws allow ... and so on. I don't appreciate being manipulated. I have turned down gifts and donations before which felt in bad faith.

by oefrha 4y ago

infinitezest 4y ago

How do you know the people that are grandstanding are the same people that are stingy?

oefrha 4y ago
There’s no way to know for sure. And there must be outliers. But 1. From my observation, donors tend to appreciate other donors a bit more. 2. I’ve confronted a few of these people in the past. When asked how much they donated, the answer was always I don’t donate because excuses X, Y, Z. But rich companies/people must donate more; they’re all PR stunts; blah blah.
- blagie 4y ago
  1. As one of "these people," I would encourage you to watch this video on the neurology of hate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeZ3_OtDa7E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeZ3_OtDa7E 2. I only work on open source. My income is at most half of what it would be if I worked on proprietary software. I do donate to other projects, and I do appreciate (serious) donors. I've never gotten (or asked for) tips, but I've gotten one or two donations big enough to make a difference. 3. I would also encourage you to read about how con artists (and marketers) manipulate people by generate reciprocity: - Someone on the street hands you a "free" pamphlet / flower / etc. and asks for a donation. - Thought leaders are sent a free product - Managers / executives are wined and dined just below what conflict-of-interest laws allow ... and so on. I don't appreciate being manipulated. I have turned down gifts and donations before which felt in bad faith.