Re: Discussion on Guix funding // future

[Steve George <steve@futurile.net>]

On 25 Oct, Ricardo Wurmus wrote:
> Steve George <steve@futurile.net> writes:
> 
> > One concern with supporting developers is whether it demotivates them
> > in the long-term: from intrinsic to extrinisic motivation. Basically,
> > the answer is that pay doesn't motivate but it does 'enable' for
> > committed contributors: the Linux foundation survey shows this,
> > there's also various academic pieces on FOSS motivation.
> 
> Paying some people also has the potential of eroding motivation for
> those who are not paid.
(...)

Yes, I've heard this concern both in other FOSS communities and in Guix.

I actually haven't see any evidence that this is the case. Maybe you have?

I've been part of mixed communities where both types of contributors existed. I'm confident it can work, in the right circumstances. And as the Linux Foundation survey points out about 50% of FOSS contribution is 'paid' (through employers or directly).

In a sense we already have a small element of Guix in this already. There are a few people who've been sponsored, or work for institutions where Guix is a dependency. If there were more developers able to sustain their efforts on Guix, I'd personally be happy for them.

> *Employing* people and having their salaries be paid from donations held
> by a foundation is a can of worms that I personally would shy away from
> opening.  An easier and less daunting way to inject monetary rewards
> into volunteer-based activities is to fund awards for certain
> accomplishments.  This would strip all the complications of employment
> and still allow for less desirable work to be rewarded.
(...) 

Understood, I was not suggesting any particular mechanism. 

The're a variety of mechanisms that could be explored, if there was a method for collecting/disbursing funds, and the interest in developing sponsorship for the project.

Steve / Futurile