From the folks that are brining us a compiled online video program comes an interesting funding model. Adopt a Line of Code.
You get to pick a line of code to adopt and pay $4 per month for looking after it. The cute graphics really made me laugh though, as if code is really that pretty1. These charitable donations count towards your tax return and of course help to make development possible.
I’m wondering if anyone has had any ideas on Adopt a bug or Adopt a feature. Something to tie users into the programming and code support for Ubuntu would be really useful. although I have heard that lots of people don’t really want to pay for software, which is sad to hear, because software development costs are not zero, even if distribution costs are2.
Like my Software Concert idea, it has boasting extras such as tags you can put on your blog or website and it ties the product it’s self into what your buying so your not just buying a token heart felt thanks like you are with typical donation buttons.
I’m interested to hear how successful this project is for Miro and I’m also interested to hear of other unique and interesting funding models for Free and Open Source Software, the more we experiment, the more likely we’ll be able to invent something that will be able to drive FOSS development economically out of the enterprise and student bedroom production houses and into a more professional and well paying development that seeks to serve real end users in homes and small businesses.
1 Depends on the language of course
2 Well, close to zero.