How Can Governments Pay Open Source Maintainers?

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Isn’t it obvious?

Instead of having government rely on tech companies, it should just build its own solutions.

And those solutions would be open source and use open source dependencies.

It would then have a budget to donate to different projects given that it saves time by using other foss software.

I think a good compromise is to include an open source maintenance fee on projects when used in a corporate or for-profit environment. Another option I like is to offer business support as a subscription.

It doesn't need to be super-expensive, but at least that would ensure some continuity for development.

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No thanks.

Id rather never install something the government shipped "here ya go!"

And I think you're an idiot for suggesting that it would be okay

EDIT: because your ADHD is out of control:

what I meant

"I don't want the government to selectively fund ANY of my software".

What you heard:

he called the UK idiots, the nerve
..

Lol they meant the government should use FOSS, which would also be FOSS, so you'd be able to audit it and all even if you wanted to use their software (which you wouldn't need to unless you worked for the government)

Wonder if you could offer some sort of tax benefit for open source developers - maybe some sort of credit?

This book clarifies how to solve project-equity-for-contributions sanely, in startups.

It, therefore, also helps with solving how to do equity in FLOSS/OSS projects.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/slicing%20pie%20handbook

Any project which may in the future be wanting to be paid full-time for some people, please understand that book.

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