Slashdot Mirror
Acknowledging Great Free Software
banuaba writes: "I am a Windows user. I've tried a couple of distros of Linux, and a BSD or two, but they aren't what I need in an OS. Sometimes in my job and my personal 'life' I need something with a little more power than Windows can give me, and when that time comes, I use Cygwin and have been wholly satisfied and enamored with the product they put out. My question for all you Slashdotters out there is this: I would like to 'reward' the Cygwin people for giving me a great product that fits my needs, but aside from an 'attaboy' email, I don't see how I could compensate them, preferrably financially. I don't have any coding skills of significance, and am not inclined to learn, I'd just like a way to let them know that I like what they've done. In the non-free (as in beer) software world, I would buy their next release. Is there any way to financially help them along? Should I just mail them a check? Would that be insulting to OSS developers, as a general rule? How or would you slashdotters who work on GPL'd code like to be compensated for your time and effort?"
The GNU Project maintains the Cygwin documentation; they have a whole page of ways you can help their efforts to spread Free software, which includes sending money, but quite a few other things, too.
I like Alan Cox's system of CD donations, but I've not met any developers yet who would be offended by a donation in money, bug-fixes, hardware, or positive word of mouth. Does anyone have interesting suggestions for thanking Free software developers?
That would be "person 2 programmer" beer system. Aside from contributing geek toys (presumably to be used in further coding efforts), it sure would be nice to be able to send freeware developers a 6-er once in a while. Of beer, red bull, Mt. Dew, or whatever it is they drink.
;-)
Beer addresses should be included in the documentation
I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem
No, much like most false prophets of socialist-like ideals, RMS is more than happy for you to pay for him to go around unbathed spreading the gospel.
Sending money is all well and good, but I'd suggest sending a gift certificate to ThinkGeek (http://www.thinkgeek.com). Everyone loves ThinkGeek, and getting a certificate in your mailbox is a great thrill!
Also, be sure to specify who it's to. Especially with a large project where it would be next to impossible to distribute it between all developers. Take away the ambiguity and specify who it is to.
Yeah but what are the chances your kid is going to be immortal? Slim to none i'd say :)
Check Number 0001
Pay to the order of: OSS Hacker
Amount: Forty-Dollars - 40.00$
Singed: Anonymous Coward
Memo: First Ch3ck!
"`Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.'" -THHGTTG
As a Muslim and a longtime user developer of GNU/Linux, I am offended by your American cultural imperialism. My religion forbids the sonsumption of alcohol! Please attempt to honor the wishes of those who gvie their time to make software for you!
I would like any donations to me instead be made to charitable organization such as:
the PLO
kill
Muslim Aid
The Nation of Islam
Thank you.
-zr
Immortality? Name your first born "Cygwin."
Andrew
Obviously the best thing to do for an OSS coder is to send them a girlfriend. They have considerable trouble finding them on their own, so if you'd be kind enough to give them a hand, you'd be truly showing your appreciation.
Send them a couple of kegs of beer, and some chicks^H^H^H^H^H^H women to serve it to them, maybe some chicken wings, and some curly fries. Or just give 'em some hooters gift certificates.
I want my rights back. I was actually using them when our government stole them after 9/11.
I'd just like a way to let them know that I like what they've done
Well, let's see, what do you look like in a thong?
Inventor of the LOLbalrog meme.
Simply because I code for the love of it, not for the money. Hell, I live out of a 2-story carboard box, code on an old 386 laptop weighing a hefty 50 pounds, and eat sewer trash for meals. And you know what, that Ferrari I bought during the dot-com fiasco just isn't fun to drive anymore. So please don't send me money, just send a simple chain email around the world 50 times to let me know that I have many, many friends.
(Money an insult? You have got to be kidding me! - or smoking some really good weed)
More OSS developers need to be proactive when it comes to getting $. People shouldn't have to ask this question. I think developers would be surprised if they used a little line that said something like "you don't need to, but it'd be appreciated if you sent a check to... ".
It's amazing what you can get sometimes just by asking. Anybody who's read Feynman should get the humorous reference in the title of this post.
For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
I think most coders will agree with me when I say, "Send those guys/girls a case of beer!"
Some jurisdictions have a minimum drinking age. In the United States it's 21. In Saudi Arabia it's (i.e. Prohibition).
Will I retire or break 10K?
This is an old protocol based on uucp. See the uubp man page for more information.
It may be illegal to paint graffiti, but it's still creative work and thus automatically copyrighted by its creator. Could the indelibility of the paint be considered a "technological protection measure"? If so, is strong soap a "circumvention device", and would washing it off the sidewalk thus be illegal under the DMCA?
Score:1, Insightful
maybe +1 funny is b0rked?
I think most coders will agree with me when I say, "Send those guys/girls a case of beer!" Nothing spells appreciation as well as B-E-E-R. It doesn't even have to be good beer, it is really the idea that counts...although Guinness isn't ever a bad idea...
but weed is better
Over the years, while trying out new languages or new development environments, I've probably implemented "Hello World" a couple thousand times.
How 'bout you just send me a hundred bucks and we'll call it even?
:-)
No, destroying copyrighted works is not illegal. Maybe if you use a special chalk (you might need to invent that, though) that shows some crappy image normally and another image when soap is applied, then the soap might qualify as a circumvention device.
Oh, and don't forget to patent that Content Scrambling Soap!
Sig (appended to the end of comments I post, 54 chars)
I can see it now... Silicon Valley Jones, whipping people with his coil of network cable, stumbling over broken bridges and routers, fending off the mad Manager with his cult of marketing flunkees, trying to restore the 5 magic goose eggs to his paycheck. So remember... next time your manager calls you into his office, be sure to bring your coil of network cable and your own theme music.
Fortune and glory, sweetheart. Fortune and glory.
Inconceivable!
Did you look at the prices for support? I believe the poster meant "reward" as in small monetary compensation, not "reward" as in "take my sister, my mother, my phat ride, and anything else that isn't bolted down".
How about an ignoble solution? ;-)
Spray paint Cygwin on as many sidewalks as you can to advertise the product. After all, IBM tried that with Linux and look at all the publicity THEY got!
If "disco" means "I learn" in Latin, does "discothèque" mean "I learn technology"?
Don't you know that you are supposed to be tithing to the FSF and/or Software in the Public Interest? That's right. Ten percent of your pre-tax income. Now just head on over to the FSF or SPI and follow the directions. Not only is it tax deductible, it will help save your computer's soul from the Devil and the resulting torment in eternal Hell!