I agree that everyone running an instance, that they expect to gain any users at all, should form a non-profit, at the very least for liability reasons. But trying to find a business model for running an instance is exactly against the point of why we are all here in my mind. If users like an instance and want to make sure it stays around then they should donate to it. That will make sure they have funding to keep paying the monthly server costs.
But if you do donate it is also fair to expect some amount of transparency in where the money is going and that the instance does have plans and failsafes. I think it is all stuff we are figuring out as we go together.
Perhaps, then, I’ll reframe this: I hope for greater attention and transparency to aid in navigating available servers by business model. An opt-in directory which may actually help people find independent private servers if that’s what they’re looking for.
One example I quite liked was the instance run by archive.org. It is strictly for their own employees and not available to the public. If I worked for them, I don’t know that I’d opt in – but I appreciate that it’s offered!
I agree that everyone running an instance, that they expect to gain any users at all, should form a non-profit, at the very least for liability reasons. But trying to find a business model for running an instance is exactly against the point of why we are all here in my mind. If users like an instance and want to make sure it stays around then they should donate to it. That will make sure they have funding to keep paying the monthly server costs.
But if you do donate it is also fair to expect some amount of transparency in where the money is going and that the instance does have plans and failsafes. I think it is all stuff we are figuring out as we go together.
Excellent point!
Perhaps, then, I’ll reframe this: I hope for greater attention and transparency to aid in navigating available servers by business model. An opt-in directory which may actually help people find independent private servers if that’s what they’re looking for.
One example I quite liked was the instance run by archive.org. It is strictly for their own employees and not available to the public. If I worked for them, I don’t know that I’d opt in – but I appreciate that it’s offered!