KLD Have you paid or donated for software? Would you and if so, what?

[oshunluvr]

A recent thread brought this question to my mind:

Have you or would you spend money of software if you really wanted or needed it? In a related question, Do you donate to "free" projects like Kubuntu or this forum or others?

I myself have had a good paying career my whole adult life and now that I'm retired and the kids are gone, I have a enough discretionary income to chip in where I feel it's warranted. I hope others do the same.

Please understand this isn't about shaming anyone for not paying or donating. I'm not judging, just curious about the general state of things. To that end, the pole responses are not public and I won't share who or how anyone responded. Multiple choices are allowed.

[oshunluvr]

A follow-on question: If you would pay for the right product, what would it be?

I DID pay for a professional level slide and negative scanning program to complete a project of scanning 50 years of old family photos: Vuescan

I WOULD pay for a really professional level PDF program IF I was still working.

I donate here, to the forum, KDE projects, and a couple others.

[claydoh]

I would pay/donate to Kup backup, at the very least. KTailCtrl and other smaller projects I use every day. I already donate to KDE.

I actually pay for or donate to most phone apps I use that offer it, even though much of them are open source.
GrayJay, Convert Now, Antennapod and others.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Yes, I always pay for any software, Linux or Android, that isn't free. In fact, I specifically search for Android apps that are *not* free; the only free ones I use are, for example, the Candy Crush family of games--they don't have ads (and I DO NOT do ads), AND they have in-app purchases that I occasionally use. Because of my career [as a programmer] I feel duty-bound to reward good developers for the knowledge and creativity needed for them to produce great apps. For Linux-oriented software/forums/whatever that are free to use, I donate to the site. I appreciate that it takes time and money to keep a site up and running, and I feel compelled to help out.

PS I KNOW it will come up, so let's get this over with: Yes, I was ill again; this time it was Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which paralyzed me from the feet to my upper chest; they were just planning for a ventilator when the paralysis started to reverse, in reverse order (starting at the top). I had a short hospital stay--for me--this time, only 2-1/2 months!! (Versus 6 months with septic shock.) Came home, still unable to walk, still in diapers, still being bathed in bed, but not cured. I'm on a plethora of prescriptions, including morphine around the clock, but it doesn't impair me and I'm grateful that it, usually, keeps the pain bearable. For occasional break-through pain, I have 10/325 hydrocodone on hand, too.

I ended up here today because I was having a hell of a time installing Steam; I've done it before, on various other laptops, and this one, too, but uninstalled it at some point and now could NOT get it working. A search led me to a post that sounded exactly like what I needed--and it was here! claydoh had provided a solution for the OP, which worked for me, too, with a little tweaking. Thank you, Claydoh!

[Qqmike]

Yes, you are right, it would come up! Been wondering where you've been these days. Glad to hear you are still with us and not in some obit somewhere. I know you've had a heck of a medical journey. You are quite a warrior at it, a good fighter. You have to be. As I shared with you by PM one time, I've also had some "idiopathic" trips that have baffled the pathologists now and then, but I have gotten through it, and, amazingly, am in "excellent" health (no chronic diseases, not taking any Rx) .... but I do have a follow-up schedule penned on my calendar. I'm glad you are making it. Sorry to hear about the stressful ordeal you've been through, though. Hang out here with us. If it doesn't make you feel younger or happier, it will make you feel a bit crazier, which is not a bad thing. Take care, DoYouKubuntu, good to hear from you.

[Snowhog]

I actively support KFN and the author of ucaresystem-core (Salih EMIN). I've supported other 'free software' in the past. My guideline is that if a product that I'm able to use for free, provides me with utility that I find beneficial and useful, I'll support the author with donations. I feel it's the right thing to do.

[Qqmike]

I used to pay for software when I was actively and gainfully employed (Assoc professor, then self employed at different things). But, also, back then I was using more software for different things. Now, I'm pretty much a Kubuntu generic user doing all the pedestrian tasks of email, surfing, light research/reading of special topics, some social media, news, word processing, etc. I maintain a membership here. Every year when Wikipedia posts their message "if everyone would donate just $2.37 ...", I give $15 or so. Randomly, on one-shot deals, I may send small amounts to people (e.g., Rod Smith for rEFInd etc.). That's about it. I appreciate good programming. I used to program and teach some programming (Fortran, Basic, etc.); my sister is a Sr. Programmer Analyst at a university.