Should You Donate To Open Source Projects?

“Since you can’t promise to fund all participants in an open
source community, it’s better to fund no participants so that
everyone is equal within the boundaries of the community. If you’re
grateful an open source project exists and you want to support it
financially, the very best thing you can do is buy things from
members of the community (or support their charitable work if they
are a non-profit).

“Buy a subscription. Buy training. Buy anything the project’s
co-developers make out their work in the project (well, as long as
it respects your freedoms!). In general, the people paying for the
administration of the community entity will be the people supplying
those things (do check!). While it’s OK to also contribute to the
central entity so they can pay their staff, it’s best to do that
after you’ve started buying from or donating to the community
members as they conduct the external interest that motivates them
to work in the community.”

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