Is Mozilla’s contributions program working?

“The program was launched in tandem with a redesign of Mozilla’s
add-ons site that gave developers their own profile pages. Many
add-on makers were already running donation programs through their
own sites, but wanted the option to show up in Mozilla’s catalog
too.

“Already it appears to be working, but on a smaller scale than
some developers might have hoped. For the half dozen developers
that CNET News talked to, none has made enough from it to, say,
quit their day job. While Mozilla would not reveal specifics on
which developers are getting the most contributions, it did provide
us with the total amount given: around $20,000. An organization
spokesperson said that most of that came in September and
October.

“Of the 500 or so developers who are participating in the
program, the average contribution falls somewhere between $5 and
$6, with the largest thus far being $150. All have gone through
PayPal, which is the sole way to pay through Mozilla’s add-on site.
PayPal then gets a small fee out of each transaction, something
that comes out of the developer’s pocket, although this varies
based on how much the user gives.”

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