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?
If you want to make the developer(s) feel good, send them an attaboy email. If you want to contribute and don't want to learn to code, send them an attaboy email and a cheque, or a case of interesting beer -- or maybe make a contribution to a charity they wish to support. An email saying "I really enjoy your software a lot, and I'd like to thank you for it -- are there any charities you particularly feel kindly for?" alleviates any possibilities that people would be offended by a cheque (though I don't know of any people who would, personally).
But really, unless the people you're trying to thank are really overloaded, actual user contact is very rewarding. Knowing that people use and enjoy your software is one of the main reasons I develop Free Software.
Unfortunately, because I'm a lowly grad-student, I don't really have the disposable income to send folks a check (unless I have a strong craving for a week's worth of Ramen).
What I did to do my part to pay those hardworking cygwin folks back was get my organization to purchase $7500 worth of their software. We had a little extra cash left on one of our research budgets, and were and need of a compiler for the ARM microcontroller. I recommended purchasing GNUPro Tools, which includes gcc. Yeah, I know it's freely available, and that I could cross-compile, but do the accounting people need to know that? So, in short, get your organization to buy some freely-available software, and send them a six-pack for good measure.
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octave + distributed.net + matlab*P = community-supported-interactive-supercomputing
wow, some people need more time on their hands..... well at least it was a contructive post. As far as the donation is concerned, it depends on the coders. some dont like to accept money cause they feel they woul owe that person a favor or something. some just do the coding for un and feel they dont need to be paid. On the opther hand it is nice to get rewarded and recognized for your work. Best bet is to ask them if you can.
Great Linux Site
When a project is maintained/coded by a sole person, ever thought of donating some computer *hardware* to the cause? Maybe that "old" Athlon 500 isn't useful to you, but for someone else, it might come in handy. For a sole developer, especially someone doing it in his or her part time, why don't you drop him/her an email and offer some old equipment. In a simular vein, you could offer web hosting if the project needs a website, or (more labor intensive) help them on their documentation or FAQs, after all, you can help out OSS even if you don't have coding skills.
Just my $.02
Which reminds me. Why doesn't someone with decent graphical skills and some time on his/her hands drop the coder of eagle eye nethack a line and offer to increase the number of images. Last time I played the game, I was hampered by the lack of images, with several monsters/items having the same image. Of course, my graphical skills suck, I don't even trust myself to do color shifting to make an iron/steel sword into a bronze sword, but someone must have the skills and the time.
It seems to me that Free Software according to the FSF is a philosophy. To feel guilty about using free software and to think that whoever wrote it somehow deserves a reward seems to me to be contrary to the reason they wrote the sotware to begin with. Using it and contributing to it if you can is one thing, but feeling like you owe them money is another altogether.
The answer is simple: Don't send them money and don't feel bad for using their great software, as though it's worth money and you got away with some naughty act in the privacy of your home where no one but your conscience watches over you.
The best thing you can do for them is to:
1. Use their software.
2. Contribute to their software (if you can.)
3. Don't support their commercial competitors.
4. Spread the word about their software in particular. There's enough religious zealots as it is--don't add your voice to zealotry, add it instead to the promotion of good, specific packages.
The whole concept of money in exchange for software seems to me to fly in the face of what they're striving for to begin with.
Supporting an organization as a whole and acknowledging the fact that it costs money to operate or even exist is another matter entirely, while a human being who has chosen to write free software without doing something to make money for themselves doesn't really "get" what's going on around us. Giving him money means he might as well have not released his software under the GPL at all.
On the other hand, the FSF is a foundation that does more than write software--and thus depends on donations to even exist--that's its whole premise from the get-go.
Small difference but important.
Just buy a box or two of Red Hat Linux, even if you don't plan to use it. You'll be supporting the company that underwrites Cygwin tools.
Your best bet is always asking... if you really want to make them happy, make sure you're getting them what they want.
Mooniacs for iOS and Android
maybe OSS programmers who don't intend to gain money for themselves for their work should encourage donations to charity like Bram Moolenaar has done with VIM
http://www.vim.org/
and donations to childrens fund in Uganda
I'm not sure about cygwin, but if you like samba.. send pizza!
See, here's the thing... I make out okay in the money and beer department, but I don't always have the money to pay for cool geek toys. Find a cool geek toy that's roughly in the price range you're thinking, preferably one that you can verify or guess that they don't have. If its linux compatible and/or can help them continue developing, then that's even better!
Some quick ideas in the under $100 range:
That's it I could come up with... any other ideas?
I am disrespectful to dirt! Can you see that I am serious?!
Another way is to do something for the community, which everyone would love. For instance, help purchase and colocate a server for the community to develop on. Or host a social for the developers to meet and drink beer together. Or help purchase tshirts for everyone to get.
The best way, IMHO, to show support for an OSS community is to help keep it live and vibrant.
talli
- Join a mailing list and help people out if they have got problems that you can solve. You cannot image how easy to answer some question are. But they take time to answer. Write an FAQ.
- Help the developers getting information. For GNumeric, that would be for example providing EXCEL sheets that don't work with current versions of GNumeric. For GPhoto, contact any manufacturer that won't release specs for their digital cameras and ask for information.
- Translate projects.
- ...
It's not all about money...Funny, the non-Free software competitor costs c. US$50. I only wish I could have afforded to pay more.
-- @rjamestaylor on Ello
If I expected $$ for my work (or even wanted it), I wouldn't be releasing it for free.
What is most gratifying (to me anyway) is to see my software gain a life of its own.
You (the original poster) may not be inclined to contribute code, or bug reports, or feature requests, but as more users become involved, chances are that they will contribute in some directly productive way.
In short, if you can't be directly productive, invite others you know to try the software.
Evangelize!