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onivim / oni2

Native, lightweight modal code editor
https://v2.onivim.io
MIT License
7.84k stars 282 forks source link

Language around "licensed user", "early adopter", "backer", "supporter" etc. #491

Open skosch opened 5 years ago

skosch commented 5 years ago

Hey – I just discovered this long-overdue project and contributed a few bucks right away (not much, but I would consider chipping in more in the future if it turns out to improve my productivity). Exciting!

I understand the need for funding, and I actually love your 18-month time delay model, so allow me to make a language comment. I personally much prefer being a "backer" to being a "licensee". One makes me feel like a generous patron of the arts. The other makes me feel like a sucker shelling out money for non-free software. I understand that the outcome is identical, but in my experience many Vim enthusiasts are quite conservative in their FOSS purism and submitting to an EULA in return for (what feels like) donating money feels sacrilegious. Non-commercial use is free, so you're relying on the users' honest goodwill one way or another – why, then, call it "purchasing a license" instead of "early access for backers", "perks for supporters" or something similar?

Perhaps others feel differently, in which case I'd love to hear their opinion too. But I do think figuring out the language subtleties around this costs very little and, to potential backers, might be the difference between instinctive aversion and warm fuzzies.

CrossR commented 5 years ago

I've not got much of an input here, @bryphe may after we've gotten past the craze of getting the first release out.

One thing that is important to consider is I've certainly known people in a buisness environemnt be less comfortable with "backing" / "supporting" stuff, but not bat an eyelid at purchasing a license.

I'm not sure if that because its more "normal" when you are buying licenses for Visual Studio / Server OS / etcetc. Whereas its (annoyingly) much less common for businesses to contribute and support open source.

Its basically the same as what you've already said, but just pointing out that for whatever reasons, some companies prefer it being that way around (for better or for worse).

One point that we do need to get better with is picking a consistent wording I guess, since I know I refer to them as backers and supporters and many more interchangeably.

skosch commented 5 years ago

Thanks @CrossR. The business-type customers I hadn't considered; you're right that their preferences are probably different. Perhaps it's easier to appeal to them by marketing the support angle, i.e. preferential treatment on the issue tracker, and the productivity gains resulting from being 18 months ahead of the community edition. I do hope to research this more – I just wanted to throw this out there as I really want to see this project flourish.