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NY Bill Proposes Tax Credit for Open Source Developers
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "Assemblymen Jonathan Bing and Micah Kellner, along with a number of co-sponsors, have introduced proposed legislation in New York State which would grant a tax credit to individuals acting as volunteers who develop open source programs. The idea of the credit is to ensure that volunteer developers, who could not otherwise deduct their expenses because they are not part of a 'business,' should nevertheless be able to receive a tax benefit for their contribution. The credit would be for 20% of the expenses incurred, up to $200. The preamble to the bill notes that the New York State Assembly itself currently uses 'Open Source programs such as Mozilla for email, Firefox for web browsing, and WebCal for electronic calendars,' and that these programs have led to significant cost savings to taxpayers. The preamble also cited a 2006 report authored by John Irons and Carl Malamud from the Center for American Progress detailing how Open Source software enhances a broader dissemination of knowledge and ideas."
The idea sounds excellent in principle, but how do you tell a true open source developer apart from a poser looking to abuse this program?
Slashdot post history?
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
The idea sounds excellent in principle, but how do you tell a true open source developer apart from a poser looking to abuse this program?
Slashdot post history?
True. If they've never been modded to "-1 Flamebait" you know they're not genuine.
Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful
I love open source, that way I never pay for software or ever pay programmers. I just give them a big ego boost and tell them how great they are and how they are helping the world. True open sourcers don't ask for tax breaks. Cause that would be like working for the man.
The idea sounds excellent in principle, but how do you tell a true open source developer apart from a poser looking to abuse this program?
Simple. Yank on their beard. If the beard pulls off, they are a poser. If only a few hairs pull out, and your hand comes away coated in grease and food particles, then they're legit.
The enemies of Democracy are
It's NYS. If you can fill out the reams of paperwork it takes to get the money, you deserve it. You'll probably be spending more on ink and fax charges than the $200 you get back. That's right. Fax.
mmmm...forbidden donut
Ah, not familiar with the un-kept-beard-and-poor-hygiene stereotype of UNIX/Free Software geeks? Well here's a crash course in the frighteningly real basis. ;)
The enemies of Democracy are
As a software developer, I'd be as genuine as a 3 dollar bill.
Here's the quickest way to getting that -1 you've always wanted:
vi or emacs?