One improvement that could make much of this argument moot would be the successful introduction of code level babblefish or language translators. At one level these have emerged in the form of WINE, LINE, VirtualPC etc . . . which are run-time translations. If we had Design-time translation, then efforts in one language would not be lost to adherants of another. Managed diversity is a more likely synthesis than language monopolization. Imagine the day when the public library offers the article "RSA decryption" in nine (computer) languages.
While the Space Ribbon itself will be so light and Flat, it will presumably crumple like a dropped string. It could create a problem by getting tangled in one region, and then pulled along by the atmosphere, tearing up trees etc. but for the most part, a minor concern. The Payload climbers however will fall back from Space, and they will not burn up as the Space Shuttle. The Space shuttle is after all orbiting at great horizontal velocity, and uses aerobraking to counter act the rotational energy (Otherwise it would have to have nearly as much fuel for reentry as is currently used for launch - multiplying the launch weight by a factor of ten or so.) Thus the payload will largly survive reentry and create a deadly but rather small impact - should the parachute fail. And this would presumably fall into the sea.
As brer Rabbit says when caught up in the trap of Brer Fox "At first I was afraid I'ez goinna fall, and then I'ez afraid I _Ain't_ goinna fall.
The real concern in the event of a failure is losing the elevator into space. The static state of forces is pulling out from the earth - tethered by the weight of the sea platform, therefore any break will result in outward drift.
There are two likely causes of failure, one is lightning - which would cause 100% of the remaining cable to drift, The other is terminal space junk or astroid damage, which would cause a jack and the beanstalk effect. Here again, the payload climbers will bring it down rather directly, and the fallout pattern would be small, and relatively straighforward to cleanup (Not like an oil spill for example)
LASTLY regarding LEO: I think solar powered unmanned gliders are a better solution for LEO problems (Satellite, communications, etc) and the space elevator puts nothing directly into LEO. What it does do is deliver payloads to oceanic equatorial geostationary orbits. Getting from there to LEO is still a lot of delta-V.
Terrorism (war, conflict) will stop when there are enough resources including food, water, education, and medicine for every man on earth to support seven virgin wives and seventy children in a palace with servants. A Space elevator does nothing to resolve this problem. Sorry.
True, But Nikon and Canon also support Tif and Jpeg options. As you mention Raw formats alow certain fixes to be applied after the fact which is appropriate in low volume cases. My point is that the foveon X3 Sigma, with its low albeit excellent resolution and saturation clipping is perhaps not the best camera for high quality work. Its triple image data density and adequate resolution (I've printed 11x14 from test images) however make it more suitable for high volume production - think 2000 kids in a high school. But this processing advantage (3 times normal speed) is compromised by the extra decoding step.
This is a real problem for people who often include lightbulb as the subject of their picture. Seems not to show up in typical studio shots and normal daylight conditions.
I would say this is not a camera for the dramatic photographer, but may be well suited for studio work with high volume because of the 200% more effecient use of data.
(Bayesian camera invent 2/3 of thei data from 1/3 - very wasteful of bits)
I admit I haven't shot film since I bought my Olympus 3000, but I grant your point on Resale Value.
Cameras are getting better faster than any other consumer product I can readily think of. So while it might not be for everyone today, that day is a forgone conclusion.
If all you want from your images is double 4x6's then film is for you. But if your images are going to spend any part of their lifecycle as pixels, then you may as well start with a digital camera.
Scanning film is a slowly improving field. There is zero investment right now in film/optical equipment, and marginal investment in film/scanning solutions. Thus you can expect to find scanning to be more expensive and problematic than simply shooting digital, plus there are benefits along the way.
one is lab freedom. The digital photographer keeps her negatives and sends only dups to the lab for printing. no "oops we lost/scratched/ruined your film". No "I hope my exposure was right". No - "if you don't send a check - you'll never see your negs alive again".
These facts will change the lab business from one of trust and reliability, to simple commodity / price. In fact the industry is seeing this trend. Custom labs offering highest cost/quality are LOSING volume, while production houses are picking up digital customers outside their film niche (School Labs printing Weddings for example)
a Year ago you could have started a flame war as there was some room for different opinions about where and when the market would change. Today - few will argue about where it is going - or about the rate of change. I think one can safely say that film will be here until the existing machines to make/develop/print film have worn out - because new machines are no being made.
AIK
I believe you would be hard pressed to demonstrate a consumer product with a higher improvement which is getting better
Professionals really can expect to pay for their new equipment with film savings, but otherwise it appears that money spent on Digital Cameras is
Is the effecienct of storage and handling. Bayesian Images are 66% waste.
(An interpolated Chip records a single grayscale image when captured - or x*y*bpp (Bits per pixel) but is saved at 3x*y*bpp)
Foveon images collect original data for each layer. So while the chip may not represent the eye, it does at least see things the way they are stored - ie in three pixel planes.
The conclusion is that foveon images require less processing time, less space on disk, and can be transported faster with much better quality.
The unfortunate fact however is that the Camera is poorly suited to do what the chip does best. Foveon has adopted a RAW format only approach ala KodakDCS. Which is appropriate for highest-end markets, but gets in the way of production oriented uses which is where the data effeciency shines. As for High end - the 3 Megapixel chip has been more than one-upped by 14 MegaPixel Cameras.
The last advantage of foveon is as dpreview points out, it is easier to create good lenses for it, and doesn't require a diffusion lens. Certainly it is a hopeful technology and if managed properly would be expected to figure highly in the Industry, but it looks like we will have to forgive a few false starts between now and then.
The Reason MS cluster might make sense is that if could allow win software to operate in a cluster mode. - not that it will be easier to connect the ethernet cables
Check out the labor laws in your state. Some are also federal, but the bottom line is that you can't be fired simply because the boss found someone who will do your job for less pay. Now do the math - 18 hours a day for the same price as 8 is LESS PAY. If you get replaced after documenting an attempt to lower wages by increasing hours - you will probably own more of the company than your boss after a brief stint in court.
IANAL but i would just recommend getting as much documentation as possible, make daily notes as to what was said in a paper bound journal. Get a small tape recorder and catch impromtu speaches. Get Addresses of co-workers who might be hard to reach if you get axed. Then hold you're ground and play for the big payoff.
Now - If we would implement the charity model. ie donate your code - get a deduction. Then OS revenue could be measures in microsoft months rather than hours.
Think about it: You write this code. It takes 40 hours. You donate the code to charities like the FSF. The FSF receives the value of the donation, and you get a tax deduction.
Its pretty simple, and it uses current tax law. All we need are the right connections - people at the FSF to look at this and say - yep - according to the IRS we can audit the worth of donated literature and issue a tax deductable receipt.
If we get that far - the funds available to develop OS software is almost unlimited.
The conferance should not limited itself to what Linux can do for the Government but it should ask what your government can do for Linux.
Remember the internet exists not because compuserve decided to open its protocals but because the US government did. Open Source is a public good, and really needs public support (see economics 101, tragedy of the commons, and freeloader impact for details).
The easiest way to support Open Source is to make Code contributions tax deductable. Tax exemption has driven the charity business in this country for years and it has funded a great deal of public good with minimal direct government control, and arguable one of the best overhead/performance ratios. Doesn't United Way operate at 11% overhead? Direct government departments like schools run at closer to 50% overhead with only a fraction of money actually spent in the classroom.
Again - this is a forum to discuss an effecient method for funding the public good which is Open Source through tax deductions for individuals who contribute.
Ever want to connect your sleek new laptop to your cellphone modem?
10 to 1 your cellphone cable is Serial (RS232) but your new Laptop doesn't come with a serial port. My 2 SOny's and my new Toshiba only offer USB.
Who is using a serial cable to connect their 240 Watt Power Tower to a 2 oz. Cellphone?
Federal matching funds for Open Source
on
Think Python
·
· Score: 1
The problem as I see it with trying to "Create" new government funding for Open Source is that commercial software is one of the few viable industries in this country right now. It pays a ton of taxes and buys a gaggle of politicians.
The advantage of "discovering" a source of funding is that it is already established, and will be decided by the Supreme Court which is far less susceptable to tax concerns and donations.
If you were to ask the Supreme court is Software is art within the meaning of the IRS statutes regarding Donations - I think they would be hard pressed to say it is not - as it would have to "be" something else within the context of the archaic terms used at the time. It's probably not going to end up as boot rubber or aged cheese. It has to be "Something" and there aren't very many choices. The IRS forbids the donation of very few things really. And mostly requires the appraisal of an expert for valuation. Legally - I think its a slam dunk.
AIK
Re: leaving out the bit where you receive income
on
Think Python
·
· Score: 1
Well no actually, This only works where you have a day job. But let's say the Author of the Python book in question teaches all day and writes this book in his spare. He donates the art to charity and gets a tax deduction from what he paid in income tax withholding.
In this case the tax department isn't paying you anything - they are simply accepting - on behalf of the public - your contribution in liu of some of the taxes you would otherwise owe on your regular income.
Give and you shall receive.
AIK
Re: land yourself in jail for evasion
on
Think Python
·
· Score: 1
That's a very negative apporach. I doubt we can make very much progress if every new idea receives the hyper conservative "do that and you'll go to Jail" What is jail anyway? Bruce Perens was ready to go for the sake of the DMCA. Jail has been an important stepping block for many new ideas.
That said - I'm not suggesting anyone go to jail. I'm merely asking if the author considered having his art appraised, and if he received a tax deduction as I believ he can according to the IRS.
What after all is so bloody dangerous about the idea of people create great works of value, donating them to the public, and getting some "public compensation"?
You know that Bill Gates takes every tax break in the book - why should Open Source programmers take any less?
According to the
IRS You can deduct Objects of Art and Collection, including electronic media such as Records. While archaic - art certainly includes books about softwae, and even software itself.
In other words you cannot list the value of your work in terms of the hours spent, but you can list the value as determined by an independant appraiser.
AIK
Re:I also don't think it makes sense.
on
Think Python
·
· Score: 1
What if Green Leaf were a non-profit org. Then they could "receive" the copylefted manuscript as a donated "work of art" This way the artists at least gets a decent tax break instead of being played the fool by the tragedy of the commons.
Did the author get paid?
on
Think Python
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
Does anyone know if the author of the book gets paid by Green Tea for donating or "copylefting" the book?
I'm working on the theory of collecting tax deductions for copylefted art, and this contribution is a great example because it closely resembles historically donated items. If the author donates the artwork to the right organization - he could by my reading of the IRS be paid in tax deductions.
Does anyone know of cases in Open Source / Copyleft where tax deduction are being used to help cover expenses?
I'm sure that the competition - i.e. Microsoft uses every tax deduction in the book. Are Open Source contributers playing by the same rules - or are we handicapping ourselves by ignoring the tax benefits of donation?
If anyone can provide examples of copylefted donations and how you documented it for tax purposes - I'm interested.
I believe there are Billions of dollars in potential government funding just waiting to be collected by Open Source artists. Lets go get it!
Speaking of "Natural Tax" we could move the OS model from questionably economic to significantly funded overnight by implementing the tax code on non-cash donations.
In basic tax theory, anything donated to the public can be written off your taxable income. If you donate your collection of 45rpm singles to NPR, you get a tax deduction.
While untested, in theory, if you create an Open Source program as a "work of art", have it appraised, and print it on paper - then donate it to a charity - you could reap a tax benefit.
This doesn't mean you should quit your day job of course, but it does mean significany funding for part-time programmers, and possible an annually renewable source of revenue for contributers.
I am surprised by the number of discussions about funding Open Source which fail to include the potential tax benefits. Everyone knows when you buy a house, the interest is tax deductable. You do the math and figure out the effective interest rate based on your tax savings. If proved - contributing to Open Source could and should be a significant tax deduction. People interested in the economics should be thinking about ways to use it.
Large business buy failing companies just for their tax-rightoff. This is a hugely available source of revenue for OPen Source and needs to be tapped.
The IRS documentation is online - just search google for non-cash donations etc.
The IRS allows tax deductions for non-cash donations to (the public) ie charities benefitting the public's interest.
The IRS has special rules for certain listed types of non-cash items. For example: "Works of Art" and "Collections" which includes vinyl record collections. I admit the descruiptions are a bit archaic, but the practice of law has long been interpreting the contemporary meaning of laws written years ago.
Its hardly a stretch to realize that Books and Magazines are an artform., and that Web-Magazines are still art. Even computer code is art in my opinion and could be donated for tax reimbursement.
If their writers just had day jobs, they could write an article a week, donate the article to the public via LWN and pay themselves with the tax deduction. Get the public to pay for what the public consumes.
Until people realize there is an endless stream of funding in the form of tax deductions for art donated to the public OPen Source projects will run dry.
Slashdot Mirror
One improvement that could make much of this argument moot would be the successful introduction of code level babblefish or language translators. At one level these have emerged in the form of WINE, LINE, VirtualPC etc . . . which are run-time translations. If we had Design-time translation, then efforts in one language would not be lost to adherants of another. Managed diversity is a more likely synthesis than language monopolization. Imagine the day when the public library offers the article "RSA decryption" in nine (computer) languages.
AIK
Meme 4: Nothing Bad - its in the ocean.
While the Space Ribbon itself will be so light and Flat, it will presumably crumple like a dropped string. It could create a problem by getting tangled in one region, and then pulled along by the atmosphere, tearing up trees etc. but for the most part, a minor concern. The Payload climbers however will fall back from Space, and they will not burn up as the Space Shuttle. The Space shuttle is after all orbiting at great horizontal velocity, and uses aerobraking to counter act the rotational energy (Otherwise it would have to have nearly as much fuel for reentry as is currently used for launch - multiplying the launch weight by a factor of ten or so.)
Thus the payload will largly survive reentry and create a deadly but rather small impact - should the parachute fail. And this would presumably fall into the sea.
As brer Rabbit says when caught up in the trap of Brer Fox "At first I was afraid I'ez goinna fall, and then I'ez afraid I _Ain't_ goinna fall.
The real concern in the event of a failure is losing the elevator into space. The static state of forces is pulling out from the earth - tethered by the weight of the sea platform, therefore any break will result in outward drift.
There are two likely causes of failure, one is lightning - which would cause 100% of the remaining cable to drift, The other is terminal space junk or astroid damage, which would cause a jack and the beanstalk effect. Here again, the payload climbers will bring it down rather directly, and the fallout pattern would be small, and relatively straighforward to cleanup (Not like an oil spill for example)
LASTLY regarding LEO: I think solar powered unmanned gliders are a better solution for LEO problems (Satellite, communications, etc) and the space elevator puts nothing directly into LEO. What it does do is deliver payloads to oceanic equatorial geostationary orbits. Getting from there to LEO is still a lot of delta-V.
Terrorism (war, conflict) will stop when there are enough resources including food, water, education, and medicine for every man on earth to support seven virgin wives and seventy children in a palace with servants. A Space elevator does nothing to resolve this problem. Sorry.
AIK
True,
But Nikon and Canon also support Tif and Jpeg options. As you mention Raw formats alow certain fixes to be applied after the fact which is appropriate in low volume cases.
My point is that the foveon X3 Sigma, with its low albeit excellent resolution and saturation clipping is perhaps not the best camera for high quality work. Its triple image data density and adequate resolution (I've printed 11x14 from test images) however make it more suitable for high volume production - think 2000 kids in a high school. But this processing advantage (3 times normal speed) is compromised by the extra decoding step.
AIK
This is a real problem for people who often include lightbulb as the subject of their picture. Seems not to show up in typical studio shots and normal daylight conditions.
I would say this is not a camera for the dramatic photographer, but may be well suited for studio work with high volume because of the 200% more effecient use of data.
(Bayesian camera invent 2/3 of thei data from 1/3 - very wasteful of bits)
AIK
I admit I haven't shot film since I bought my Olympus 3000, but I grant your point on Resale Value.
Cameras are getting better faster than any other consumer product I can readily think of. So while it might not be for everyone today, that day is a forgone conclusion.
If all you want from your images is double 4x6's then film is for you. But if your images are going to spend any part of their lifecycle as pixels, then you may as well start with a digital camera.
Scanning film is a slowly improving field. There is zero investment right now in film/optical equipment, and marginal investment in film/scanning solutions. Thus you can expect to find scanning to be more expensive and problematic than simply shooting digital, plus there are benefits along the way.
one is lab freedom. The digital photographer keeps her negatives and sends only dups to the lab for printing. no "oops we lost/scratched/ruined your film". No "I hope my exposure was right". No - "if you don't send a check - you'll never see your negs alive again".
These facts will change the lab business from one of trust and reliability, to simple commodity / price. In fact the industry is seeing this trend. Custom labs offering highest cost/quality are LOSING volume, while production houses are picking up digital customers outside their film niche (School Labs printing Weddings for example)
a Year ago you could have started a flame war as there was some room for different opinions about where and when the market would change. Today - few will argue about where it is going - or about the rate of change. I think one can safely say that film will be here until the existing machines to make/develop/print film have worn out - because new machines are no being made.
AIK
I believe you would be hard pressed to demonstrate a consumer product with a higher improvement which is getting better
Professionals really can expect to pay for their new equipment with film savings, but otherwise it appears that money spent on Digital Cameras is
Is the effecienct of storage and handling. Bayesian Images are 66% waste.
(An interpolated Chip records a single grayscale image when captured - or x*y*bpp (Bits per pixel) but is saved at 3x*y*bpp)
Foveon images collect original data for each layer. So while the chip may not represent the eye, it does at least see things the way they are stored - ie in three pixel planes.
The conclusion is that foveon images require less processing time, less space on disk, and can be transported faster with much better quality.
The unfortunate fact however is that the Camera is poorly suited to do what the chip does best.
Foveon has adopted a RAW format only approach ala KodakDCS. Which is appropriate for highest-end markets, but gets in the way of production oriented uses which is where the data effeciency shines. As for High end - the 3 Megapixel chip has been more than one-upped by 14 MegaPixel Cameras.
The last advantage of foveon is as dpreview points out, it is easier to create good lenses for it, and doesn't require a diffusion lens. Certainly it is a hopeful technology and if managed properly would be expected to figure highly in the Industry, but it looks like we will have to forgive a few false starts between now and then.
AIK
The Reason MS cluster might make sense is that if could allow win software to operate in a cluster mode. - not that it will be easier to connect the ethernet cables
Check out the labor laws in your state. Some are also federal, but the bottom line is that you can't be fired simply because the boss found someone who will do your job for less pay.
Now do the math - 18 hours a day for the same price as 8 is LESS PAY. If you get replaced after documenting an attempt to lower wages by increasing hours - you will probably own more of the company than your boss after a brief stint in court.
IANAL but i would just recommend getting as much documentation as possible, make daily notes as to what was said in a paper bound journal. Get a small tape recorder and catch impromtu speaches. Get Addresses of co-workers who might be hard to reach if you get axed. Then hold you're ground and play for the big payoff.
AIK
Now - If we would implement the charity model. ie donate your code - get a deduction. Then OS revenue could be measures in microsoft months rather than hours.
Think about it:
You write this code. It takes 40 hours. You donate the code to charities like the FSF. The FSF receives the value of the donation, and you get a tax deduction.
Its pretty simple, and it uses current tax law. All we need are the right connections - people at the FSF to look at this and say - yep - according to the IRS we can audit the worth of donated literature and issue a tax deductable receipt.
If we get that far - the funds available to develop OS software is almost unlimited.
AIK
The conferance should not limited itself to what Linux can do for the Government but it should ask what your government can do for Linux.
Remember the internet exists not because compuserve decided to open its protocals but because the US government did. Open Source is a public good, and really needs public support (see economics 101, tragedy of the commons, and freeloader impact for details).
The easiest way to support Open Source is to make Code contributions tax deductable. Tax exemption has driven the charity business in this country for years and it has funded a great deal of public good with minimal direct government control, and arguable one of the best overhead/performance ratios. Doesn't United Way operate at 11% overhead? Direct government departments like schools run at closer to 50% overhead with only a fraction of money actually spent in the classroom.
Again - this is a forum to discuss an effecient method for funding the public good which is Open Source through tax deductions for individuals who contribute.
AIK
Ever want to connect your sleek new laptop to your cellphone modem?
10 to 1 your cellphone cable is Serial (RS232) but your new Laptop doesn't come with a serial port. My 2 SOny's and my new Toshiba only offer USB.
Who is using a serial cable to connect their 240 Watt Power Tower to a 2 oz. Cellphone?
The problem as I see it with trying to "Create" new government funding for Open Source is that commercial software is one of the few viable industries in this country right now. It pays a ton of taxes and buys a gaggle of politicians.
The advantage of "discovering" a source of funding is that it is already established, and will be decided by the Supreme Court which is far less susceptable to tax concerns and donations.
If you were to ask the Supreme court is Software is art within the meaning of the IRS statutes regarding Donations - I think they would be hard pressed to say it is not - as it would have to "be" something else within the context of the archaic terms used at the time. It's probably not going to end up as boot rubber or aged cheese. It has to be "Something" and there aren't very many choices. The IRS forbids the donation of very few things really. And mostly requires the appraisal of an expert for valuation. Legally - I think its a slam dunk.
AIK
Well no actually, This only works where you have a day job. But let's say the Author of the Python book in question teaches all day and writes this book in his spare. He donates the art to charity and gets a tax deduction from what he paid in income tax withholding.
In this case the tax department isn't paying you anything - they are simply accepting - on behalf of the public - your contribution in liu of some of the taxes you would otherwise owe on your regular income.
Give and you shall receive.
AIK
That's a very negative apporach. I doubt we can make very much progress if every new idea receives the hyper conservative "do that and you'll go to Jail" What is jail anyway? Bruce Perens was ready to go for the sake of the DMCA. Jail has been an important stepping block for many new ideas.
That said - I'm not suggesting anyone go to jail. I'm merely asking if the author considered having his art appraised, and if he received a tax deduction as I believ he can according to the IRS.
What after all is so bloody dangerous about the idea of people create great works of value, donating them to the public, and getting some "public compensation"?
You know that Bill Gates takes every tax break in the book - why should Open Source programmers take any less?
AIK
Do you work at Microsoft?
According to the IRS You can deduct Objects of Art and Collection, including electronic media such as Records. While archaic - art certainly includes books about softwae, and even software itself.
What you cannot deduct is The Value of Time and Services
In other words you cannot list the value of your work in terms of the hours spent, but you can list the value as determined by an independant appraiser.
AIK
What if Green Leaf were a non-profit org. Then they could "receive" the copylefted manuscript as a donated "work of art" This way the artists at least gets a decent tax break instead of being played the fool by the tragedy of the commons.
AIK
I would rather focus on the idea of getting Federal matching funds for Open Source than proving I'm a worthy soul. In on sense you're right. Its a close friend of mine, the author of OpenVPN who is the hard core Open Source contributor. (see SourceForge) but Since you ask, my personal contribution is a flight control system / collision avoidance based on the simplistic Ant Colony Algorithm. This is a system which would cost about $150 per plane which controls air traffic without infrastructure. It would have avoided many of the collisions in the last two years. Especially the recent tragedy involving a swiss air controller and a russian plane. AIK
Does anyone know if the author of the book gets paid by Green Tea for donating or "copylefting" the book?
I'm working on the theory of collecting tax deductions for copylefted art, and this contribution is a great example because it closely resembles historically donated items. If the author donates the artwork to the right organization - he could by my reading of the IRS be paid in tax deductions.
Does anyone know of cases in Open Source / Copyleft where tax deduction are being used to help cover expenses?
I'm sure that the competition - i.e. Microsoft uses every tax deduction in the book. Are Open Source contributers playing by the same rules - or are we handicapping ourselves by ignoring the tax benefits of donation?
If anyone can provide examples of copylefted donations and how you documented it for tax purposes - I'm interested.
I believe there are Billions of dollars in potential government funding just waiting to be collected by Open Source artists. Lets go get it!
AIK
Marx said capitalism was bad because it offered to much choice. You're saying its bad because it offers not choice enough.
Which is it?
Speaking of "Natural Tax" we could move the OS model from questionably economic to significantly funded overnight by implementing the tax code on non-cash donations.
In basic tax theory, anything donated to the public can be written off your taxable income. If you donate your collection of 45rpm singles to NPR, you get a tax deduction.
While untested, in theory, if you create an Open Source program as a "work of art", have it appraised, and print it on paper - then donate it to a charity - you could reap a tax benefit.
This doesn't mean you should quit your day job of course, but it does mean significany funding for part-time programmers, and possible an annually renewable source of revenue for contributers.
I am surprised by the number of discussions about funding Open Source which fail to include the potential tax benefits. Everyone knows when you buy a house, the interest is tax deductable. You do the math and figure out the effective interest rate based on your tax savings. If proved - contributing to Open Source could and should be a significant tax deduction. People interested in the economics should be thinking about ways to use it.
Large business buy failing companies just for their tax-rightoff. This is a hugely available source of revenue for OPen Source and needs to be tapped.
The IRS documentation is online - just search google for non-cash donations etc.
AIK
4. Excellent Tax Break if you donate your code to Charity
The IRS allows tax deductions for non-cash donations to (the public) ie charities benefitting the public's interest.
The IRS has special rules for certain listed types of non-cash items. For example: "Works of Art" and "Collections" which includes vinyl record collections. I admit the descruiptions are a bit archaic, but the practice of law has long been interpreting the contemporary meaning of laws written years ago.
Its hardly a stretch to realize that Books and Magazines are an artform., and that Web-Magazines are still art. Even computer code is art in my opinion and could be donated for tax reimbursement.
I should think a great deal of the public has used Google or benefited by someone who has - they could afford a penny a year towards Linux.
If you get a tax break in return for your work - it's not really doing it for free.
If their writers just had day jobs, they could write an article a week, donate the article to the public via LWN and pay themselves with the tax deduction. Get the public to pay for what the public consumes.
AIK
Until people realize there is an endless stream of funding in the form of tax deductions for art donated to the public OPen Source projects will run dry.
AIK