Re: [HACKERS] Raising funds for PostgreSQL

The Hermit Hacker wrote:

> Here...
>
>         http://www.pgsql.com/features/
>
> Have to get it format'd and need to build up the CGI, but this is what you
> asking for? :)
>

That looks great.  You don't waste alot of time, do you...

For what its worth, here's the language I would suggest for the page:

"This page enables you to help the Postgresql project move along more quickly and at the
same time it will help you get the new features you want and need the most.  Below are a
list of enhancements under consideration by the development team.  However it is not known
when each will bubble up to the top of the priority list and actually get done.

If one of these features is important to you, you can pledge a certain amount of money
($100 minimum, please) toward that feature.  If you want to help build the pool, tell
others about this page and encourage them to pledge toward those features they feel are
needed the most.

When the accumulation of pledges on any feature reaches the level preset by the
development team, you will be contacted at the email address you supply.  You will then
have 2 weeks to actually send in your pledge.  If the pledges actually received are still
high enough to justify the project, your feature will be completed and you will be
notified of the next release which includes it.

If the development team does not successfully complete your feature, or if an insufficient
amount of the pledges are actually collected, you will be given the option of getting your
money back or applying the amount toward another feature.  If you make a pledge and then
do not honor it, you will not be eligible to make future pledges or for support through
PostgreSQL Inc.

Of the funds collected through this mechanism, 10% will be used for administrative
purposes.  The remaining 90% will go directly to the developer(s) working on your
enhancement.

To get an item added to this list, please send email to Jeff MacDonald. If the item is not
already on the TODO list, it will get brought up, discussed, and if entered onto the TODO
list, will also be entered here. You will then be contacted to let you know your entry has
been added, so that you can make your pledge.



Now again, these are just suggestions, but I think the following are good ideas:

1. Exclude items from the list which will be completed in the next 2-3 months anyway
2. Take bids from the development team in advance on each feature.  In other words, how
many dollars would they need to start on the enhancement today.
3. Do not disclose these bids to the public
4. Do not disclose the received pledges to date to the public
5. Show on the page how much has been pledged toward the feature only as a percentage of
the amount needed to start the work
6. Include a buffer (20%?) to allow for uncollectable pledges
7. When the pledge is made, bring up a page with an electronic contract with Accept and
Decline buttons.  This contract should contain language which is legally binding and which
would hold up in a small claims court.  That way if someone makes a pledge and you
complete the feature, you could actually collect your money from them if you wanted to.  I
can probably help with the language of this if you want.
8. After a feature has been funded and completed, publish all the details (bids, pledge
amounts, who donated, who flaked on their pledges, etc.)
9. Include prominent information about how to participate in this program on all the web
page headers/footers and in the distribution README's.  A catchy link might be "How to get
your favorite feature added into PostgreSQL"  You should probably throw something into
these mailing lists from time to time too.
10. Are you set up to take credit cards?  This would be nice but I think you can do
without it.
11. You probably should probably choose US Dollars as the standard interchange format.
However, this should appeal to an international market.  If you get set up with a web
credit card vendor, they can probably handle exchange issues for you automatically.

Hope this is helpful.

Kyle