On Being a Free Software Maintainer
I use a lot of open source packages, and I’m immensely grateful to anyone who maintains one.<p>I also want to mention that I donate whenever the option is available.<p>However, here is my personal opinion that will most likely get downvoted to oblivion: if you are putting a tool out there for others to use (not just software but any tool), then you are responsible for its wellbeing and maintenance, regardless of whether you charge money for it.<p>In my opinion, it is irresponsible to release something, <i>anything</i>, and then abandon it.<p>If you don’t want to be responsible for it, for example if it’s a hobby project or something, keep the repo private. If you release it with the intention of maintaining it, and your circumstances change later, do your best to find another maintainer.<p>If you want to charge money for it, do that.<p>But if your attitude is gonna be “I’ll work on this when I want, however much I want, and you should just be grateful for what you get and deal with it” then, well, that’s where my sympathy and respect for you ends.