@xr0am-
🧵 THREAD: Why open source devs are still struggling to get paid in 2025 - and how I am fixing it.
The open source ecosystem powers 90% of the web, yet most maintainers work for free. Let's explore the problem and a simple solution:
1/ The open source paradox: Projects like elizaOS (powering AI agents, MC reached $2B+) are built by devs working nights and weekends
"This is @shawmakesmagic - $100k in debt 70 days ago. Coding till 3am every night to pay rent. Turns a crazy idea into $2B+ AI project."
2/ "Having an incentive mechanism while being open source is quite challenging - it's a balance between 'community' and 'value capture'"
This is the core problem: How do we fund public goods without paywalls that limit adoption?
3/ Contribution-based systems show promise but have limitations:
"On-Chain Contribution Tracking: Use verifiable logs (GitHub commits, forum posts) to measure actual work done."
The problem? Complex to implement and maintain for smaller projects.
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