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Restricted Financial Support for Open-Source?

Posted by Cliff on from the disparate-financial-options dept.

Anonymous Writer asks: "PayPal has become the standard for making donations to Open-Source projects, and in many cases the only way. Out of the 247 countries and territories represented by top-level domains on the Internet, credit cards are available in 128. However, PayPal only accepts credit cards from 45 of these countries, which excludes 83 from using their service. Nearly two-thirds of the countries on the Internet with valid credit card billing services are currently prevented from making donations using PayPal. Even credit cards issued from those 45 accepted countries with billing addresses not among them are excluded, which affects people working overseas and expatriots. If you want to support the Open-Source Software movement but don't live in a PayPal-accepted country, what are your alternatives?"

3 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. Alternatives..... by Reducer2001 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Report bugs, submit patches, create your own software, and helping people troubleshoot problems in forums are ways to contribute if you live in a country that Pay Pal isn't accepting credit cards from. You can also do this in a country that Pay Pal DOES accept credit cards from, if you're broke.

    --
    When you get to hell -- tell 'em Itchy sent ya!
  2. I have this problem, too by wikinerd · · Score: 3, Informative

    I have been hitted hard by PayPal's decision not to send cheques to my country, which is an EU member.

    I plan to use MoneyBookers instead. I have communicated with their support department for a small problem and my experience was very positive, they seem to care about their customers and they offer very good support.

    Another alternative is iKobo which gives you an ATM card to withdraw money from your account.

  3. Easy. Code for sex. by crazyphilman · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you're a girl, the following steps may not change the world, but they WILL make a lonely, starving open-source coder happy:

    1. Locate an open-source coder.

    2. Approach said coder's dorm room or apartment in a trenchcoat (naked underneath), with a six-pack in one hand and a bag of Chinese food in the other.

    3. When the coder opens the door, announce "I noticed you checked my bug-fix into CVS this afternoon! Let's celebrate!" Lean back so the trenchcoat opens up, and hold up the beer and Chinese food.

    4. Be ready to administer CPR if the coder has a heart attack.

    --
    Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!