I think they&#x27;re solutions looking for a problem.<p>Tips in the service industry are functionally a means of bolstering income for people who are, by and large, distinctly low-paid workers; developers, even on the low end of the scale, tend not be. I think it&#x27;s also fair to say that most (<i>most</i> - I realise it&#x27;s not <i>all</i>) active contributors to open-source projects have day-jobs that provide adequate-or-better income. So what would motivate a common-or-garden developer to court for tips in the first place? And how would a &quot;tip-sized&quot; tip even be noticeable to someone on a developer&#x27;s salary?<p>[edit to add: perhaps the issue is the metaphor? A &quot;tip&quot; is roughly what I described above - but it&#x27;s not actually any <i>different</i> from a &quot;gift&quot;, a &quot;donation&quot;, or myriad other terms (except, yes, in legal terms of course).]