[heurisko]

Because anyone with any insight into human nature can see this would happen.

You're a traveller in a lesser economically developed country. You're in the wilderness, you haven't seen anyone in a while. You see a stranger, who sees you're travelling alone and invites you to a meal, eager to share a part of their life with you.

Now this is how GitHub is acting:

At the end, you reach into your pocket for a note of the local currency, the stranger shakes his head.

You continue taking out a nominal amount.

"No", the stranger says in his language. You insist, putting the note into his hand. The stranger looks offended. You smile, oblivious.

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" You repeat and kill the stranger's act of altruism.

[oefrha]

I’ve yet to identify someone who got the money and felt offended. Sure looks to me that everyone who was offended did not get the money.

[heurisko]

Because I doubt many would. I think reaction would be "Sure, this is nice I guess."

But I don't think it is anything more than marketing on the side of GitHub. And I think what annoys people is when people seem to think it is more than that.