[Animats]

Yes, you too can work for DuckDuckGo for free. It's open source, but only useful on their platform. Their search engine uses Yahoo ads. You don't get a cut of the ad revenue when a query uses your add-on. So they can monetize your work, but you can't.

I admire DuckDuckGo for being able to survive at all. But they're a for-profit company that asks people to donate things to them. That's just wrong. If you want donations, you have to be a non-profit or a cooperative. (One problem we have today is that few people are members of an organization in which their vote matters and management really serves at the pleasure of the members. Today, "membership" means "customer".)

TechShop does this. TechShop is a for-profit company, not a member-owned hacker space. But they ask for donations anyway.[1] This annoys many regular TechShop members, many of whom are familiar with starting or running a business. Especially when they fail to open a location after collecting money, as they did in LA.

[1] http://www.techshop.ws/ts_los_angeles.html

"People like you helping people like us help themselves."

[epi0Bauqu]

It is not only useful on our platform. The entire instant answer engine is open source as well, and could be incorporated in any program. Additionally, much of our Instant Answers are freely accessible via our API: https://duckduckgo.com/api. These could be and are incorporated in other programs. We are looking for ways to expand access and make them more useful, and would appreciate any suggestions.

That said, there are many for-profit companies that create and maintain open source projects that are primarily used for them. While that may mean that many people aren't interested in developing for them, it doesn't mean everyone isn't. There are some people who want to improve their own search results. There are some people who just want to help a private alternative in search.

There are others who would like exposure on our search engine pages (for their APIs or via developer attribution). In fact, as we get a decent amount of traffic now, that exposure has real monetary value. We place Instant Answers above ads and links, and so the sources that are used for Instant Answers are monetarily benefiting through their inclusion in the ecosystem. In any case, there are many valid reasons why someone may want to develop on DuckDuckHack.

[jrockway]

Aren't you working for Hacker News for free right now? If nobody posted comments here, nobody would know what Y Combinator is. And high-profile HN contributors aren't getting a share of profits YC makes from their startups :)

[nickpsecurity]

How much money is Hacker News pulling in for pg etc? Is that why my adblocker stays working overtime here? Who is investing what round of capital in it? Who is planning to acquire it to get dang his 6% of options before the market tanks again?

Hacker News is closer to Animats non-profit concept than a for-profit business asking for donations. Hence, it's worth contributing free time to. ;)

[jkchu]

Clearly helping DDG with Instant Answers is not something you are interested in. I think as long as people are willing to do something without being deceived or tricked, then I don't see what's "wrong" about it. Maybe you feel that it is not a good way to build a relationship with users, but DDG is certainly not forcing or tricking anyone into helping them.