[FFmpeg-devel] [RFC] financial sustainability Plan A (SPI)

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Le 26 octobre 2023 18:45:23 GMT+03:00, Michael Niedermayer <michael at niedermayer.cc> a écrit :
>This is financial sustainability Plan A (SPI)
>ATM SPI has like 150k $, we do not activly seek donations, we do not currently
>use SPI money to fund any development. SPI money is ultimately controlled by
>the FFmpeg community and everything is transparent and public.

>1. We should fund some FFmpeg development with SPI-FFmpeg money

Why should it be via SPI? What's the benefit of that hypothetical future additional funding going via SPI, as opposed to:
- via FFlabs or any other reputable OSS multimedia consulting company,
- a consortium of large companies, or
- directly to a salaried or freelance developer.

It seems the sole benefit is that SPI can solicit donations. So then you are putting the cart before the horses. Secure that extra funding first.

>To help 2. we should favor flashy, cool development that can bring in more
>donations

That's the part that you'd need to clarify first. What relevant flashy cool development will attract those donations? Why should they be funded by donations rather than more traditional business transactions?

>* If you have some flashy FFmpeg project you want to work on with a cost of
>  between 5-15k $ then propose it on the mailing list, make yourself ready for
>  some paperwork complexities and some public debate as thats the first time we
>  try this, there will be extra issues likely.

I don't think that code bounties count toward OSS "sustainability". It's condoning the so-called jig economy, which is the opposite, IMO.