I'm currently providing an #OpenSource#PHP library for #Firebase for free. #Funding works as you might expect it: it doesn't. Firebase is a commercial service, so I'm thinking of migrating my library and its future development to a paid one. Does anyone have experience in doing so? I know I could distribute it with private packagist, but is there a an already existing system of processing licenses and payments?
Honest question. What do you personally get out of it? And does that justify giving a private corporation free money? (The answer to this question will help determine how you move forward.)
@Crell It started as a learning opportunity and has boosted my self-esteem when it got more popular. With GitHub Sponsors and a few small sponsorships, it made me hope for a future where I could sustain myself with working on OSS. Ha...
It probably boils down to this: It's the project I get noticed for and it's hard for me to let go of that. On the other hand, I have my own family since last year, and "free work for others" has lost its appeal as a hobby. (1/3)
That's why I'm now thinking: either make it private and charge for it (success rate: low), or archive it and lose leverage (for funding and future job interviews), or continue/silent quit until an opportunity/sponsor present themselves and continue to complain now and then (exhausting for me and others). (2/3)
The worst part is that I still hope that these "cries for help" will achieve anything. There are far more capable people with more reach who are not able to receive proper funding, and here I am crying about it. (3/3)
I've seen hybrids, like the code is free, but if you actually want to talk to the dev, gotta pay. GH issues don't get a response unless from a sponsor. Etc. I think that's a reasonable middle ground of communicated properly.
"You want this bug fixed? Here's my hourly rate. You want this pr reviewed? Here's my hourly rate." (Or "here's the github sponsors link," or whatever.)
If someone makes a fuss, link them to some standard explanation then block.
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