[mdp2021]

> Is there any particular reason the author paying rent via donations is different from any of us paying rent from our work

Patently, yes:

-- "donation" means one can get the product independently of any money transfer;

-- «paying from work», «charging for apps», «require or accept payment for access to features or services», means that getting the product is conditional to money transfer.

"Donation" is not "payment".

In fact, I do not quite understand on which contractual reason the ban happened.