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--- presentations:introduction_to_software_licensing [2024/08/25 21:15] – [How to pick a license?] admin
+++ presentations:introduction_to_software_licensing [2024/08/25 22:11] (current) – [Getting started with FOSS] admin
@@ Line 100: / Line 100: @@
 --- Skylar
+===== Getting started with FOSS =====
+  * Understand important FOSS is to the software stack (https://xkcd.com/2347/)
+  * Understand how to report bugs and cooperate with maintainers
+  * Understand how to be a good contributor (git, mailing lists, docs, etc)
+  * Understand if a project requires you to sign your copyright away for your contributions (see above)
+  * Find a free software project and hack on it!
+    * Send PRs to your favorite projects on GitHub
+    * [[wiki:internships|Join internships dedicated to free software:]]
+    * Ask your employer to work on free software
+--- Skylar
+===== Paying the bills with FOSS =====
+Many FOSS contributors are volunteers, and many companies who take from FOSS do not contribute back. Some FOSS developers have protested this in various ways. In any case, it is clear that the work that most FOSS developers do is not proportional to their compensation for that work. So knowing that FOSS currently does not pay as well as it should, how are people currently making a living from it?
+  * Sponsorship (eg GitHub sponsors, LiberaPay)
+  * Selling the software anyways, even if people can compile it for free
+    * This is more common when compiling from source involves a difficult toolchain (Windows/MacOS/Android) or bleeding edge dependencies (projects still in development), or if buying from an online store comes with perks (eg automatic updates, achievements in the case of FOSS games sold on Steam, etc)
+    * Targeting price to platforms: Krita is free on their website, but can be paid for on the Windows Store (cite? might have been a different app). Many apps are free (or their premium version is free) on F-Droid, but paid on the Play Store and iOS. --- Jeffrey Fisher
+      *
+    Reasons probably include: Easier to take payments on store but still want to offer elsewhere. Increase number of people using it by having it be free, but still make some money from commonly used app stores.
+  * Selling non-software products (CDs, documentation, etc)
+  * Selling support
+    * This is how companies like RedHat and Canonical make money
+  * Offering hosting services
+    * Sourcehut. Mastodon, though I don't think it's paid.
+  * Donations
+  * Employment at a company that gives time to work on FOSS projects (eg Google)
+    * Many FOSS developers work on it in their free time
+--- Skylar