Re: [HACKERS] Raising funds for PostgreSQL

Kyle Bateman wrote:

> The Hermit Hacker wrote:
> > A pledge is record/valid when, and only when, the pledge has been
> > received...
> >
>
> What can we do to assure a donor that his feature will actually get completed as a result
> of his donation? It seems to me this will be most people's hesitation (mine, at least)
> is sending money in without any kind of mechanism to control how it is spent.

Maybe we have to make pools per feature. Requires IMHO to
move features, where donations can be thrown on, onto a
separate DONOTODO list. Items there should have a clear,
detailed specification, what the feature finally will
implement and expected implementation time, assuming a
developer can work at least X hours per week on it.

Each of these DONOTODO items has it's own account, and a
donator can send in cash for specific items. As soon, as the
account balance raised high enough, someone will claim to do
it - sure. At this point, the item is locked and a deadline
for finishing, depending on the estimated efford (from the
detailed feature spec) is set.

Up to the point, where an item get's locked, the donator can
transfer any amount between item accounts and (of course) get
back his money. After that point, only additional donations
can be placed on the item to increase the efford to finish it
in time.

At deadline overruns, donators can decide again what to do
with their money. So the developers have some pressure in the
neck to complete the items in time.

In the backside, we must coordinate if multiple developers
need each other to do one item together. They have to decide
a split ratio of the account balance. Should IMHO be a
floating process and depending on the developers involved,
could be open until the end.

Well, there must be a steering commitee, controlling the
DONOTODO items and the cash flow - PostgreSQL Inc. would be
my first guess.

Jan

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