Ted Gould wrote:
So Linux Fund who has volunteered some funds to help sponsor development on our text tool has not received the matching that they would need to pay for the full development cost. They would like to either fund it, or free up the funds by the end of their fiscal year, which is the end of this month.
The difference is $630. They would like the foundation to pay the difference.
I'm not sure I understand this correctly. It sounds like, "We wanted to pay you but we don't have the money now. We'll talk to the project and see if they will pay you instead." Has the work on the feature been completed? What sort of contract was created between Linux Fund and the developer? How are we involved, if at all, in this contract? What percentage of the total is $630?
I do not believe the Inkscape project should supplement the funding for a third party development agreement unless that was in fact part of the initial agreement. This sets a very bad precedent. I would like to see the work done. And I would like to see the developer compensated if he or she has done work. But I do not believe the responsibility for the funds falls to us.
Are there other alternatives? Could we offer to promote a special campaign to gather funds via donations to support the work?
Aaron Spike