Why do we ask for donations so often? Because it’s important! As KDE becomes more successful and an increasing number of people use our software, our costs grow as well: Web and server hostin…
  • dinckel@lemmy.world
    10·
    2 months ago

    A lot of people here have such a bizarre stance.

    People have put work into this, for free. And the moment they ask for support, you immediately bring the pitchforks out, over a singular pop-up you can permanently disable? That’s just plain disrespectful, at the very least

    • Adderbox76@lemmy.caEnglish
      3·
      2 months ago

      Unfortunately, there has always been the issue that a not-insignificant percentage of users of FOSS software believe the FREE part means “free as in beer” and take umbrage when asked to contribute.

      I’ve long been a proponent (and I know I’m in a minority) that has advocated for a shift in the marketing of FOSS applications from “donation based” to “value based”. Meaning that the expectation is that if you enjoy the software, you pay an amount that you believe is commensurate to your use. This is voluntarily of course…if you can’t pay, than please use it and enjoy it. But those who can pay, should pay…at least a little bit, to offset the costs for those who can’t.

      It’s more or less that the wording of FOSS apps needs to change so that you are expected to contribute if you can.

      Just my opinion. Like I said, I know I’m in the minority. Just not a fan of the percentage of users that has always existed that (falsely) think that asking for money for your project is somehow anathema to the Open Source ideal and whine whenever they’re asked to contribute.

      • lud@lemm.ee
        0·
        2 months ago

        Also what the hell is up with everyone saying “free as beer”?

        Beer isn’t free!

        • Adderbox76@lemmy.caEnglish
          3·
          2 months ago

          The full saying is “Free as in Speech, not Free as in Beer”

          Basically the “Free” in free means that it’s free to do with as you please, modify, etc… But not free as in “here’s a free product…like getting a free beer”

          • Richard@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            2 months ago

            That’s also confusing and it is not the full saying. The full saying is “free as in free speech, not free beer”.

            From the FSF website:

            Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. Think of “free” as in “free speech”, not as in “free beer”. Free software is a matter of the users’ freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.

    • nef@slrpnk.netEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      I’m not against the idea, but I do think it’s a bit unfair. There are dozens of projects KDE relies on that never even get the chance to ask for donations this way, simply because they don’t need a GUI.

      I believe KDE should at least offer to share the donations with other projects, projects that would otherwise have no voice. Something like the old Humble Bundle donation method would work really well, and let users to choose how their money is allocated.

      • D_Air1@lemmy.ml
        0·
        2 months ago

        While I understand where you are coming from. That goes for a lot of projects in general. Not to mention that KDE is literally an example of the thing you are talking about. KDE has an entire ecosystem of libraries that anyone can use called kde frameworks with many examples of these libraries being used on various projects large and small outside of KDE. They don’t see a dime from this either. I recall a conference on TechHut’s youtube channel spotting KDE’s frameworks in the wild being used by companies at the event.

        • Richard@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          And KHTML! Basically, KDE work is the foundation of the browser engines behind Chromium and Safari.

    • kbal@fedia.io
      0·
      2 months ago

      From experience with Windows “freeware” some of us have seen what happens when such pop-up notices become commonplace. It is not pretty.

      • orsetto@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        1·
        2 months ago

        Not an ad. No one is trying to sell you anything.

        (If you get the notification) you’re already using their product.

        • conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works
          01·
          2 months ago

          Yes, it is an ad. Any call to action is an ad.

          And its mere presence will ensure I don’t give them any more money. The core concept of inserting any ad in an OS is not behavior I am willing to reward.

          • orsetto@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            1·
            2 months ago

            Ads try to sell you something, there is no “call to action”. Here, there is nothing to sell, so by definition it’s not an ad.

            They are just asking you if you’d like to help them in providing you the product you’re already using.

          • Cris16228@lemmy.today
            1·
            2 months ago

            So, asking you to VOLUNTARILY donate IF YOU WANT to with a pop-up you can simply ignore and/or disable is advertising? I don’t understand… I mean, they give you a product for free, full of good features and updated regularly, and the moment they ask you to donate, again, IF YOU WANT to, it’s considered advertising…

            You’re so sad, dude.

            • conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works
              01·
              2 months ago

              Yes. It is literally impossible for an organization asking for money not to be an ad.

              And yes, showing me a single ad once means I never give them money again. I am not OK with ads.

  • LostXOR@fedia.io
    9·
    2 months ago

    Seems like a reasonable donation prompt; it’s infrequent, unobtrusive, and can be easily dismissed and disabled. Some people are so sensitive to the idea of any sort of soliciting that they forget projects do need money to function.

    • Leaflet@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      Yup. I like their just in December approach too. I have a problem with distrohopping so I’m often re-setting up my system. Every time I do, Thunderbird pops up donation prompts both in the app and in my browser. I get why they do it, but it’s annoying when that happens. KDE’s approach avoids this pitfall.

    • TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org
      03·
      2 months ago

      Some people just don’t like their OS being used for that purpose and want it to be just a tool that shuts up and does exactly as it’s told and no more. I can see that point of view. Our computers aren’t free billboards. It’s like when car dealers stick their own custom logo on the cars they sell to people.

      • FQQD@lemmy.ohaa.xyzEnglish
        5·
        2 months ago

        The difference is, that you’re using something for free, and you can disable this very easily.

          • D_Air1@lemmy.ml
            4·
            2 months ago

            Those people are completely misinformed then. The OS did not come free. You paid for it. You pay for the license every time you buy a computer. If KDE had that then yeah it would by annoying, but they probably wouldn’t be asking then.

            Most places tell you how much you are paying for it. I have to go out of my way to not pay for it since I don’t plan on using windows when I buy a new device.

          • candybrie@lemmy.world
            4·
            2 months ago

            The Windows is not free. The OEMs pay a license fee and that cost is passed on to people buying those computers.

              • RogueBanana@lemmy.zipEnglish
                6·
                2 months ago

                “The price is included” so you did pay for it. That alone makes the comparison invalid and its pointless to even compare a free community developed product to a paid product by profit company on a revenue discussions.

        • TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org
          02·
          2 months ago

          I get that. I was just saying why it might tick some people off. My idea of a good OS is one that you don’t even notice while using it. It just sits in the background doing its thing and you don’t have to think about whether you’re using KDE, Gnome, or whatever, because it never makes itself known and you just happily use your programs.

      • Ptsf@lemmy.world
        1·
        2 months ago

        I understand this, but we need to be reasonable and avoid extremes. This software is extensively free (as in beer) and requires development support. As long as the prompt doesn’t cross any lines into exploitive territory I think it’s fine. It would be nice for them to have explored other fundraising avenues first though and have saved this as an exhaustive “final” option.

        • Adderbox76@lemmy.caEnglish
          01·
          2 months ago

          This software is extensively free (as in beer)

          No…it’s not. It’s free to download and to use, but the expectation that people contribute in exchange for using it is how FOSS has always worked.

          That doesn’t necessarily mean monetary. But contributing can be helping with user guides, or making youtube tutorials, or even just extending the reach of the program to friends and family by talking about it.

          There are many ways to contribute, and money is one. But the notion that Open Source software is “free as in beer” has never been correct. Users have an expectation to contribute…period.

          • Ptsf@lemmy.world
            1·
            2 months ago

            Not sure what part of the open source community you’ve been diving into, but the expectation of contribution to the project is not realistic nor logical as there’s not “always” something a person can contribute and you’d absolutely run afoul of “too many chefs in the kitchen” (even Wikipedia acknowledges this and has structured editing in a way to help alleviate the issues). Though open source for me, and a lot of others, has always embodied passion, a desire to aid the community, and a drive to prevent closed alternatives. None of that is based around “co-op” style expected contribution development. Hell, even Stallman famously addressed my “free as in beer” statement, saying that open source is more akin to “free as in speech” overall, but since this particular project is not monitizing and are GPL 2 licensed, they are absolutely free as in beer.

            (https://www.wired.com/2006/09/free-as-in-beer/)

  • k_rol@lemmy.ca
    1·
    2 months ago

    I personally think once a year is not enough. Every 6 months might be better. Also people already spend a lot during December that they might not prioritize donating to KDE.

    For those complaining… Well I don’t know what to say to them. Such a big complex software which is 100% free should be allowed to remind us that they need money.

    Don’t forget they said it’s running as a daemon specifically so you can easily disable it if it triggers you so much.

  • penquin@lemm.ee
    1·
    2 months ago

    Have you visited Wikipedia lately? I’ll gladly donate to KDE when I see this next time.

  • Elsie@lemmy.ml
    1·
    2 months ago

    As long as the “No Thanks” button is a one and done go-away button, I think this is a decent idea!

  • SavvyWolf@pawb.socialEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    I mean, at least I’m not paying $200* for the privilege of being advertised to… I’d like an option to disable it permanently in the popup but it seems mostly reasonable?

    ^* This is the first price I got for a Windows licence when I searched for it. I know you can probably get them cheaper, but that’s the price they’re advertising, so eh.^

      • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
        0·
        2 months ago

        Why?

        People spend countless hours building the software you use for free. Now they need to buy actual hardware yo build and test that software and what? They have to pay with their own money besides all that time they spent already so that you can continue to use this for free?

        You’re not forced to pay anything, they’re asking for small donations

  • lemmydividebyzero@reddthat.comEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    No problem… Once a year is fine. It’s a non-profit based in Germany…

    Thunderbird shows it once at every startup…