[kk__]

You are paying for python. You pay for any software product you use by not using an alternative.

OSS maintainers deserve respect but at a certain point they have turned their hobby in to their career, complete with clients and marketing. If you are willing to trust an open source project for your livelihood than the maintainer also has an obligation to respect that.

[gregmac]

> You pay for any software product you use by not using an alternative.

Sure, but in the same sense "you pay" for eating a day-old egg salad sandwich you found sitting on a park bench. (Luckily, even using badly-written open source software generally has a less unpleasant outcome.)

Like open source, the chef -- who you have no relationship, connection or contract with -- is not under any obligation to guarantee either your satisfaction or survival.

If you want to reduce the risk to your livelihood, you should pay money for both your critical open source software and your egg salad sandwiches.

[ci5er]

In a previous life I threw some tarballs w/ a buildable OpenGL clone and separately a buildable Renderman "clone" onto an FTP server and published the location.

Some people downloaded it, built it and used it. Even added to it, where they liked.

Most people were like you.

I never share code any more.

[justinator]

Well, do you use open source code?

[ci5er]

I use gcc on Open Solaris, so, yes. I'm not an ass to the maintainers, God save their souls.

[noonespecial]

You missed the part of "paying" where there is any benefit at all (or incentive) in the maintainer doing that work for you.

Worse, it's open source. You are always free to do it your damn self if it's so important to your livelihood.

Rule 1: Nobody owes you jack.

[n_o_u]

Sorry, what exactly are you paying them?