[Typo3-dev] Donations to Extension Programming Documentation

[Gabriel Anast]

Michael--

>I think that those who will benefit from the result of that project will
>most likely be our "project customers" who are not reading this list.
>  
>
um, I hate to say this... it looks so bad in the open source community, 
but something like access to a Typo3 knowledge-base is a really great 
thing to SELL. Especially if it is high quality... which I have 
confidence that it will be: the regular T3 mailing lists are very high 
quality compared to most other projects that I have been involved with.

Access doesn't have to cost much, and... this is going to sound crazy, 
but... I have done some work for a (US) company that only charges within 
the US, all foreign (I'm in US) requests get free access... and it might 
be hard to believe, but the (US) customers don't mind. Another way that 
you could charge is metered access: like 1euro per 100 requests pre-paid 
in 10euro increments. Or, maybe better, 1euro per 24 hr cycle. Some days 
you use it, some days you don't.

So you say, "I wouldn't want my freely give posts to be locked up in a 
pay-per-use database." I agree. I wouldn't want that either (although in 
my case, the value of the posts may be in question). However, the 
mailing lists would be free, and all the posts would remain free, what 
would cost would be carefully structured distillations of those posts 
and the knowledge they represent.

For those who cannot afford the minimal charges, you could give credit 
for work. In other words, if someone does some cleanup, or faq 
management, you could reciprocate by allowing them free access to the 
knowledge-base. And you could reduce fees if payment is coming from a 
non-G8 country or whatever.

On another (similar) topic, I have formulated some chicken-scratch rules 
for a bid-based help forum that would help devs meet crucial needs, keep 
newbies from asking thoughtless questions, and that would even raise 
money for the central project. (anyone interested, email me)

On a personal aside: I usually would have something that I can donate, 
but... I have a large debt load right now due to abject stupidity (the 
American way... bleh). But I can step up with 150euros if you give me 
till the beginning of July.

--gabe