As the main developer of Fedilab, I've never used Open Collective funds for personal needs like buying a phone or paying repairs (yes, plugging/unplugging daily has consequences). I feel uncomfortable about how to use those funds. In April I'll need to pay for server hosting. I also need a more powerful computer. Are those kinds of expenses ok for you? Like repairing my phone due to a worn-out USB connector?
J.R. Orci
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Fluffy
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •ScriptFanix💍⏚ ⸫
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •DamonHD
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •I don't know your project, but those would be acceptable to me.
I help run a voluntary group and have similar worries about dipping my hands in the money pot for real expenses, but I think that you're fine!
Cat 🐈🥗 (D.Burch)
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Mehrad
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •I donate via LiberaPay, and I believe you can use the funds for any purpose. Enjoy a good pizza and beer if you like 🤓
Thanks for your contributions to Fediverse and FLOSS.
Fedilab Apps
in reply to Mehrad • • •Yes, Liberapay is really much simpler because you can even buy your food with it :) Thank you so much for helping!
devSJR
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Rokosun
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Fuse
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Look, the fact that you've even asked the question demonstrates you have a conscience and know right from wrong.
If the project(s) were abandoned, but donations were still being accepted, that would be unconscionable.
However, server fees, equipment repair or replacement, or anything needed to support the project would be fine.
Fedilab Apps
in reply to Fuse • • •Thank you, I appreciate that. I was genuinely unsure whether repairing my phone felt right, even though it's directly caused by development and testing. Your words help.
Fuse
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •You're welcome!
A lawyer mate of mine once told me, "*Anybody* can steal from an employer, if they are a trusted employee."
Now, donors are not your employer, but they are your supporters, and they trust you. As you know "right from wrong" you'll also know if you've abused that trust.
Be open and honest, apply good judgement, and you'll be fine!
Kāpitan
in reply to Fedilab Apps • •Fedilab Apps likes this.
🐧 Winter-Sam
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •DNKrupinski 🧡🏴☠️
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Dmitri Ravinoff
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Perfecly ok. I'd compare to what a decent employer would supply so you can do the job.
And thank you so much for the best Mastodon (my main use case) client ever!
#fedilab #mastodon #fediverse
haui
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •As a dev, ceo and donator at different times, I suggest looking at it like this:
If you did not do this job youre getting paid for (open collective), would you have the amount of costs you have now (you wouldnt) and if you do, they're personal (rent, food, vacation) and if not, they're work related (mobile dev = mobile phone business expense, same for laptop that wears out etc.)
If you want to feel extra ethical, buy a dedicated work phone that is separate which you use the money for.
Morgan ⚧️
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Plus, in this case, they seem like things that also affect your ability to work on this project regardless of your ability to live, which imo is no longer a personal expense
wakest ⁂
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Progenitus
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •I'm fine with everything. Use them for things you need.
To maybe ease your mind a bit: A computer also supports app development. And a phone is needed for testing the app. Emulators can only bring you so far. So that would be something directly benefiting app development.
LibreFaso
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •It really depends on what you wrote on the Open Collective requests.
My plans if the LibreFaso project was ever successful enough to justify a full-time job¹ was to have a separate tip jar for the project-related expenses and for my own salary, so that people could choose what they want to fund.
Basically, as long as you're entirely transparent, it should be fine.
¹it's not going in that direction, alas
Dźwiedziu
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Developers need food and working hardware to develop.
As I'm not donating I can only hope that others agree.
As for USB try magnetic connectors. Just check them with an USB cable tester, as I've just learned that my 24-pin connector is USB 2.0 only.
palindromi
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •go for it.
Mobile phone
server bills
are all needed for a development environment
movodehe
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •TL;DR Absolutely ok 👌
I donate to projects because I want them to stay and best case improve/ grow/... So if the money is used for anything that helps in that way I am happy. If that means you can work on the project half-time, full-time or whatever and spend the money on rent, food, cinema or anything else that makes you happy, that is great.
I would stop donating if you became a multi-millionair. But I doubt we will ever have to worry about that ;)
jaker
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Jason, Human, Average
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •Seems perfectly reasonable to me.
On the plugging / unplugging front, have you considered a sacrificial cable / connector board. We use these between dev boards and cables for hotplug or similar testing.
Duncan Lock
in reply to Fedilab Apps • • •