This was initially a followers-only thread, but that prevents any interaction between users. So here it is publicly.
I've decided to close the Fedilab Open Collective account, and I want to be transparent about why. I'm a solo developer behind all these projects, and that matters to understand what follows. (1/4)
I published my first release in April 2017. Since then, I've never stopped. I don't do this for the money. What drives me is the same thing since day one: sharing ideas, listening to feedback, exchanging with people passionate about open source. Fedilab often had features available before Mastodon itself, thanks to ideas from contributors. (2/4)
Open Collective is a great tool, but it's built for organizations and teams. It requires someone to validate expenses. As a solo developer, I'm both the one submitting and the one approving. I can't do that. So I only ever declared direct costs like server renewal. Never hardware, never repairs, never a phone I test on, not even a coffee. (3/4)
If you'd like to keep supporting my work, Liberapay is simpler and fits a solo developer:
For occasional bigger expenses like annual server renewal, I'll set up crowdfunding campaigns. If you know of solutions that work well for solo developers, your suggestions are welcome.
Thank you for your support. (4/4)
@apps
Thomas, thanks so much for all that you do with Fedilab and for us! I have contributed and will continue.