Where I'm coming from is that I want to work on open source software, and I get really down on the hoops I have to jump through to do it--consulting, employment

Where I'm coming from is that I want to work on open source software, and I get really down on the hoops I have to jump through to do it--consulting, employment, starvation. I want to add value to society and I want society to value me in a more direct way. Tips are small so there's no strings attached. That's different than with other uses of money.