[spambayes-dev] FW: SF.NET Project Donation System

[Tim Peters]

[Matthew Dixon Cowles]
> In the absence of a more direct way to support SpamBayes or
> individual developers, I'd suggest routing donations to the Python
> Software Foundation.

Matt, we already do.  Visit

    http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/donations.html

for proof <wink>.  There's a PayPal button on that page, which contributes
directly to the PSF now.  Some users have done that.

> It's a properly-organized charity so it's equipped to receive them.
> And I don't think there's any reason that it can't spend money to
> support SpamBayes when there's an opportunity to.

Me neither, and I want the PSF to do things like that, but I think it's
still a long way off.  The PSF's work is all done by unpaid "spare time"
volunteers too, and while we're accomplishing what we need to accomplish
there, it's in very slow motion.  We're overwhelmingly still bogged down
trying to clean up legalities; e.g., after something like 2 years in
existence, we're still trying to get legally sound contribution (code, not
money) forms established.

I expect that people contributing cash to SpamBayes would like a more direct
connection, and I sympathize.

> I also understand that that's apt to help the PSF and, indirectly,
> Python since the PSF has to show the government that it gets
> donations from lots of different people.

The SpamBayes-derived contributions have helped a lot in moving the PSF
toward meeting the so-called "public support ratio" test, which the PSF must
meet to retain public charity status.  I don't think the PSF *needs* the
SpamBayes contributions for that, though.

> Full disclosure: I'm a member of the PSF but don't sit on its board.

If you want to, you probably can <wink>.

Everyone should keep in mind that we're not talking big money here.  The
total contributed to the PSF from all sources so far wouldn't pay one
person's salary, and the SpamBayes donations are a small part of that.  The
PSF's Treasurer could break out exact numbers, but I don't want to bother
him -- when I said "100 bucks now & again" earlier, that's the right
ballbark, given current contributions.  OTOH, I expect SpamBayes
contributions would increase if there were a plausibly direct connection
between giving money and getting back a better SpamBayes someday.