Otto Moerbeek wrote:
On Sat, 28 Oct 2006, Breen Ouellette wrote:
I honestly do not know as I do not have access to the size of the
user base
nor the financial needs of the project. If 5000 users gave $100 per year to
the project that would be half a million dollars. Are there 5000 users? Is
half a million per year more or less than the project earns now? Half a
million seems like a lot, but it only represents 10 developers on a yearly
salary of $50,000, and I personally feel that there are developers that are
worth at least that much for a full time contribution. Do the paid developers
currently take more or less salary to work full time on OpenBSD? How much of
the yearly budget needs to go toward hardware purchases? Operating expenses?
Does Revenue Canada get its dirty little fingers into this? There are too many
unknown variables to answer this.
There is one known factor, though: almost all developers work as
volunteers, the project does not pay salaries (there have been
exceptions, but I'm talking about the current situation). Some
developers work for companies and do OpenBSD (related) stuff in their
work time, but in general, developers work in their spare time. The
exception being Theo, of course.
That is why I went with what I believe is a fairly conservative number
for the user base, although it is a wild guess. But it seems that 5000
people could make an impressive difference to project funding if they
were so inclined to donate a mediocre amount on a yearly basis.
Based on the DARPA funding days, did having more developers on salary
help the situation? There comes a point where throwing money at a
problem doesn't help anymore, but I have never seen a concrete financial
goal for OpenBSD so I don't know if there is one. Perhaps a "donations
thermometer" on the front page, with appropriate links to Project Goals
or Donations listing specifics of how additionally raised funding will
be applied, would give some people more incentive to donate. This kind
of thing can light a fire under some people.
I would equate it to the vendor mailing campaigns. A lot of us wouldn't
write emails if Theo didn't tell us where to send them. Once he provides
a direction, though, the emails start flying. Maybe the same would be
true with money! It seems like a fairly low impact way to try and boost
donations, at any rate.
Breeno
PS - This topic came up back in 2003, but the thread degenerated into an
argument about 'selling printed copies of the BSD license on shiny paper
for $500 a pop'. The point was also made that some people will not
change their donating habits if there is a donation meter. I actually
fall into that category. However, I am open to the idea that not
everyone falls into that category, just as not everyone falls into the
CD-buyer category. Some people need a little convincing - which a meter
plus goals might achieve. Since this is squarely in Theo's court - sorry
in advance if this is still an idea that you have no interest in
implementing.
