If it's paid for, why not let people use it freely?

[shanen]

This idea is about an alternative financial model. The tag I've used for developing the idea is CSB, which stands for Charity Share Brokerage. The basic idea is that I could support Firefox (or FOSS or journalism) by donating "charity shares" in various projects. Let me start with a couple of examples:

If a new feature is being considered, then the CSB would make sure the project proposal is complete and also hold the money until enough donors agree the feature should be created. At that point the required money is released and the project begins. After the project is completed, the CSB will evaluate the project against the success criteria in the project proposal and report on the results to the donors (and to the world, too). But since the development costs are covered, everyone can use it.

If there is some service that requires a server, then that would become an ongoing-service project, probably funded on one-year terms. In this case, I think special incentives could be offered for early donors, though critical services should be funded several years in advance. (Support and security services can be handled with similar ongoing-service projects, but security also requires some contingency funding that the CSB will have to handle with special priority.) Again, lots of people can use it and the donors get the minor bonus of appearing on the funding page (though some might prefer to be anonymous benefactors).

Lots more details (because I've been thinking about this for a long time), but are you interested? Do you have suggested improvements? Or questions? I have lots of possible answers...

[shanen]

[I don't understand how this comment wound up here? I'm pretty sure it was intended as a comment on an idea about regex searches. I'm guessing some moderator felt it belonged here instead? Or some kind of confusion in how the comment mechanism works? If so, that seems to be an interface problem somewhere.]

But in accord with my previous submission (of unknown status), I doubt that I would pay actual money to help with such a project. I think patience is a virtue and on that theory my previous submission is still in some invisible pending status and I should just be more patient.

Alternatively, if the problem is with a scarcity of people to moderate submissions, then you may need more moderators and there should be a more visible channel to volunteer as such. Or even a recruiting channel.

Overall my impression of this website has never been very high, and the recent experiences have not helped... Too much hassle with login procedures, but perhaps necessary defenses against trolls? The input problem is the newest annoyance I've noted. It seems to be dropping spaces fairly often. Some kind of performance problem with character echo? But the biggest discouragement is the apparent black hole, which is the focus of this idea, and notwithstanding all the badges I've "earned". Sorry, but as the ancient joke goes "I don't need no stinkin' badges." I'd just like to see Firefox survive as a viable alternative browser (though it's getting harder and harder to justify my primary use of it).

[Jon]

Hey @shanen, 

Thanks for submitting this idea to the Mozilla Connect community! It is now open for votes (kudos) and comments.

-The Community Team