I assume he's applying donations to the server costs first, then considers extra as profit/salary. We should be considering developer time as a core part of server costs, but I think people would react poorly if server donations went to personal expenses before server expenses.

I think one of the best thing hosts could do is be transparent about costs and how much time maintenance takes and what sort of effective wage they are getting.

[–] shnizmuffin@lemmy.inbutts.lol 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think people would react poorly if server donations went to personal expenses before server expenses.

The distinction is an illusion. If a person can't afford to live, and a part of their life is running a server, who gives a fuck which dollar goes where?

(Other than all the dipshits who offer 0 and demand anything more than nothing.)

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 week ago

It depends on if the shortfall in rent is coming from something server related. If stux is pulling a good salary for his hosting work and the shortfall just came from a different job falling through, that's a fine time to ask for donations, but not something people would feel warrants shutting down the server rather than taking out a loan.

[–] rglullis@communick.news 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

Or we could drop the whole idea of depending on "donations" and understand that admins are professionals who would like to make a living like everyone else?

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'm fine having the burden spread unevenly. I don't mind donating more so that a free platform is available to anyone who wants to use it. Whether something is funded by donations or fees is separate from whether the cost of people's time should be included in the revenue target.

[–] rglullis@communick.news 1 points 1 week ago

Whether something is funded by donations or fees is separate from whether the cost of people’s time should be included in the revenue target.

Yeah, but where are the admins who dare to say "I think my work is worth $15k/month, so I will only keep the instance open if we collect that much money"?

There aren't, because the majority of users will see that "profiteering" and flat out refuse to contribute. Or they will come up with the worst excuses to diminish the work of the admins, which in the end translate to "I don't make that much money, how could I justify accepting that your work is more valuable than mine?" crab mentality.

[–] 9488fcea02a9@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Unfortunately we have a whole generaton of entitled babies who scream "paywall!!!" every time somebody asks for compensation for their work

[–] kat@orbi.camp 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Nah, don't give that much credit to a loud minority.