Re: sponsor NetBSD for 2020 https://github.com/sponsors/NetBSD

[maya%NetBSD.org@localhost]

On Tue, Nov 10, 2020 at 04:02:55PM +0000, Sad Clouds wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:32:29 -0500
> matthew sporleder <msporleder%gmail.com@localhost> wrote:
> 
> > Indeed -- casting a wide net is in our interest.  I hope you are able
> > to use one of our many potential donation offerings -- paypal, stripe,
> > amazon smile, github sponsorship.. any I am missing?
> 
> I think what may be missing is sponsorship for specific features.
> NetBSD foundation normally decide where to spend the resources. It may
> be used for worthwhile projects, but for different people some features
> are more tangible than others.
> 
> For example, I'd be interested in sponsoring NetBSD on sun4v
> architecture with support for LDOMs. OpenBSD have done a lot of work in
> this area and there may be a lot of potential for porting their code.
> Some of their developers could be interested in doing it if NetBSD
> agreed a full-time paid project.
> 
> 1. Identify the scope and cost.
> 2. If cost is feasible, setup project sponsorship page.
> 3. If enough money is raised over a set period of time, project goes
> ahead, otherwise money is returned to the sponsors.
> 4. NetBSD oversee the delivery and quality of the project.
> 
> This approach is more targeted and allows the sponsors to have a say in
> how their money is spent. If nobody is interested in a project and not
> enough money is raised, then - c'est la vie...

The usual way that TNF funding of projects work is that a developer will
come to TNF with a proposal for the project to fund their work.
Actively seeking out developers when nobody has come forward is a
challenge, because the sums of money are usually too little to have
consulting firms interested.

In the absence of any framework, I've shamelessly posted that I am
offering a bounty for some netbsd/pkgsrc related work on
tech-pkg/tech-kern and it was successful (IMO). We can write down all
the names & offers if there are too many, but this is not the case now.

As for sun4v, I believe Palle is doing work on this sometimes.